


The Sweetest Thing

by Misshyen, Sparklingstarsandmoonbeams



Series: JJ and Haley: Summer Love [1]
Category: Original Fiction - Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Attraction, Beach House, Brooke (ofc) - Freeform, Confusion, Daughter of Henry Cavill, Daughter of Henry Cavill and ofc, F/M, First Date, First Love, Flirting, Fluff and Angst, Henry Cavill x ofc, Love at First Sight, Making Out, NA fiction, OFC - Freeform, Original Fiction, Partying, Shyness, Son of Jake Jensen, Son of Jake Jensen and ofc, Summer Love, YA Fiction, Young Love, beach, claire (ofc) - Freeform, jake jensen x ofc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-21
Updated: 2017-01-21
Packaged: 2018-09-19 02:17:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 22,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9413501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Misshyen/pseuds/Misshyen, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sparklingstarsandmoonbeams/pseuds/Sparklingstarsandmoonbeams
Summary: JJ Jensen is the son of The Losers Jake Jensen and his wife Claire from Misshyen's Jake and Claire (ofc) series.  He meets Haley Cavill (the daughter of the actor Henry Cavill and his ofc wife Brooke from Sparklingstarsandmoonbeams Henry Cavill fanfiction series) and sparks fly.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Misshyen and Sparklingstarsandmoonbeams thought up the story idea one night after imagining how well JJ and Haley would get along. We hope you enjoy our idea and the kid's adventures together.

_JJ's POV_

  
“Jacob Jensen get your butt in here!”

Claire stood in the laundry room looking at the pile of her son’s dirty clothes on the floor along with his wet clothes in the washer and dryer.  The dryer door was still open as though he became side tracked and left, forgetting to return to his chore.

She waited for her son, tapping her finger on the washer in annoyance, “JJ!”

“Yeah Ma?”  JJ called back from the kitchen, his mouth full of an overly packed sandwich as he sauntered over to her.

He stood a good head taller than his mother, dark brown hair with a bed head style, blue eyes, full eyebrows and a light growth of scruff.  He was a good combination of his parents but physically he had the physique of his father due to intense workouts, being on the college lacrosse team, and his love of casual football with his friends.

“You didn’t just come home to do laundry and eat all of our food did you?”

“Of course not,” he smirked, “I came here for the hot water, fresh linens, and cutting wit too.”

Claire swatted at him and laughed as he ducked out of reach, “Smart alec…”

She started to sort through the laundry.  “We’re about to have dinner, you’d better still be hungry after eating that.”

JJ shoved the rest of the sandwich in his mouth and grinned, his cheeks full.

“I’m still starving!”  He garbled with his mouth full.

“Perhaps because you need to eat better, and don’t tell me that you’re fine because Ellie tells me everything.”

“Ah shit.”  He rolled his eyes at the thought of his sister ratting him out on what he thought were personal conversations.

“Watch your mouth.”  Claire scolded gently.

“Sorry.  What did she say now?”

Claire put the last handful of wet clothes in the dryer.

“She’s worried about you.  You’re staying up all night studying in the labs, you barely eat, you don’t go out as much.”  She turned on the dryer.  “You should be having fun and finding yourself too.  We all know you’re smart and work hard.  I want you to not regret missing out on having fun and meeting people.”

“All my buds are at different schools.  I’m trying to graduate early so I can get out of there and get in with Dad and Uncle Pooch.  Clay told me—“

“I know what Clay said and your dad is going to talk to him about that.  _If_ you really want this than you’re going to have to work for it.”

JJ rolled his eyes, “Ma, I know.  Dad talked to me about it.  I don’t want special treatment, I just want in, even if I’m not on his team.”

Claire sighed and crossed her arms, “It just scares me.”

“Why?  Dad goes away all the time and comes back fine.  I want to do that too.  They need more guys like me in the field, he said so himself.”

“He’s had his share of close calls, and I worry about that for you.  You’re my baby, I’m allowed to be scared for you.”

“I’m not even out of MIT yet, jeeze.”

“I know but it’s coming soon, and then you have your plans.  I just—“

“Ma, don’t worry.  I have it planned out.”

“Alright, I’ll stop.  For now.”  She grabbed a basket of clothes and JJ took it from her with a kiss on the cheek.

“Thanks for the clothes.  I’m gonna go grab my laptop after I put these away.”

“Thanks, Bud.”

Claire watched him walk off and she let out a sigh.  He was always a determined and hard-working kid, but when it came to the military he had a one track mind.  Jake knew how to draw the line between work and fun, but JJ was like a machine with his future plans.  She hoped he would relax soon and enjoy life more while he was still young.

* * *

 

“Dude come on!  The chicks are waiting!”  an obnoxious voice called from the driveway after a car horn honked repeatedly.

“Oh look, it’s Bobby.  My favorite of all of your friends.”  Claire said wryly, peeking out of the window and rolling her eyes at him.

“He’s okay, he’s just kind of an asshole sometimes.”  JJ said grabbing his bag.

“Or all of the time.”  Jake muttered.  Claire nodded in agreement.

“Just be careful please, where there’s Bobby there’s trouble.”

“Because he’s an asshole.”  Jake repeated.

“Come on Dad…”  JJ grunted.

“Shhh, he’s coming up the steps.”  Claire warned.

Jake got up from the table to grab more coffee.  He looked over at Claire and grinned.

_“Here comes the douche, baaaaaby.”_

“90s music insults?  Nice dad…”  JJ frowned.

Jake looked at JJ with a smirk and then went back to getting his coffee.

_“Who’s just the biggest douchebag in the world…  
Who just a jerrrrk, and a great big toolbag,  
Who’s just the biggest asshole in the world.”_

“Jake…”  Claire said holding back a giggle.

“Thank you.”  JJ looked at Claire with relief.

She was cleaning up breakfast plates and started singing quietly to herself.

“Heeeeee is just a tool…”

“Ma!  You’re on my side remember?”

Claire looked up and shrugged as she walked away, “Meh.”

Jake waited for Claire to put the dishes down before he picked her up and spun her around and gave her a quick kiss.

“Don’t pick on your mother for calling him out through Sugar Ray songs.”  Jake teased.

Claire laughed.

JJ sighed and then smiled, “Alright I’m out.  Thanks for breakfast.”

“Be good.  Be a nice guy.”  Claire said, walking up and kissing JJ’s cheek.

“Jensen’s aren’t nice guys.”  Jake teased, sipping his coffee.

“Please… you’re _my_ nice guy.

“Wasn’t so nice last night.”  He replied quietly wiggling his eyebrows.

“Mm hm, I know…”  Claire gave him a provocative glance back.

“Hey!  Right here!”  JJ gasped.

Claire laughed as Jake walked by patting JJ’s forearm.

“I can’t wait until your kids are grossed out by you and your future wife’s love.”

JJ bit his lip and looked away quickly.  _Yeah, if I ever find a decent girl._   He thought.

He didn’t see Claire notice his pained expression.

**

“So your mom and dad still don’t like me?”  JJ’s friend Bobby looked over as they turned onto the highway.

“They like you, just try to be less of an asshole.”  JJ teased, picking up his phone as it went off.

“Screw you.  Are you gonna attempt to find some girls for once?”

“Maybe.”  JJ looked up from his phone with a thoughtful smile.  Women had been the last thing on his mind lately with trying to finish school and talking to Jake and Clay about joining Special Forces.

“Ah shit, Poochie can’t make it.  He’s working this weekend.”

Bobby rolled his eyes and make a rude motion with his hand.

“Oh damn, what a shame.”  He said blandly.  “Dude’s no fun anyway with that stick up his ass all the time.”

JJ looked over with a quick glare.

“Watch it.”  He said unimpressed with Bobby’s comment and gesture.

He had been friends with Pooch Jr since they were toddlers.  He was like a brother or a close cousin to him.  They had a close bond and he had been looking forward to hanging out with him for the long weekend.

“Sorry, but the guy needs to get laid.”  He looked over from the road.  “And so do you.”

‘Don’t start…”

“I’m serious bro, when’s the last time you got some?  Any hot computer chicks stay late with you and play with your hard drive?”

JJ sighed and looked over at Bobby before looking back out the window.  Bobby had a big mouth and no filter.  Sometimes JJ didn’t know why he bothered hanging with him, they barely had anything in common and he often had to jump in at bars to stop Bobby from starting trouble.

Bobby had a point though about his personal life.  He’d had his fair share of dates and casual girlfriends in high school and college early on, but he had pushed women aside for studying and working on his future.

He also had never been with a woman.  He’d come close a few times with some girlfriends but he just didn’t feel right about it.  He didn’t get the vibe that they were the one.  He had no time for women and didn’t feel right trying to commit to one when he was so busy at school.  JJ was too embarrassed to tell his other good friend, Ben that he was still a virgin at 22 years old and only PJ seemed to understand.     

He’d been told he had a great body and was “super hot” by some girls but sometimes that’s all it seemed like they wanted from him.  It annoyed him because he graduated high school with a 4.0 average and was the class valedictorian.  He started MIT and felt like he had to prove himself, not that he had to keep up with anyone.  He was top of his class, part of the lacrosse team, and though he wasn’t popular, he had a small group of friends he loved.  He knew he had the reputation of being a jock in high school and college and wished he could shake it.  That wasn’t him and he just wanted someone to see him as more.

 “Dude are you still pissed about the Pooch thing?  I’m sorry.”  Bobby said not sounding the least bit sorry. “I have a friend named Cheryl who might be into you,” he added to his half assed apology.

“How is she into me if we’ve never met?”  JJ asked knowing where Bobby was going with the offer.

“I showed her your lacrosse photos.”

“Oh come on…”  JJ let out an exasperated breath of air and watched the trees go by.  He looked back at Bobby, “You couldn’t just give her my number?”

“You need to get laid, talking about your boring old books and classic movie shit won’t get you laid.  Just trust me.”

“Ah fuck…”  JJ grumbled.

They drove in silence for most of the trip, JJ sulking and Bobby ribbing him.  He definitely needed to ditch his guy.

* * *

 

They pulled into the parking lot at York Beach and he was ready to leap out of the car away from Bobby.  He would have grabbed a ride with Ben but he had come from the other side of Maine after visiting family.

He heard his name being called from a beach house and looked up to see Ben standing on the porch looking over at them excitedly.  Ben leaped the porch fence and strode over quickly.

“Hey there he is!  Where the hell have you been lately?”

“Jerkin’ it in the library.” Bobby called out from the trunk of the car.

Ben rolled his eyes as he leaned in and gripped JJs hand before pulling him into a quick one armed hug.

“Hey great, Bobby’s here,” he said in annoyance under his breath and JJ chuckled.

“Poochie still coming?”

“Nah, he had to work.”

“Well shit.  I’ll give him shit later, he’s missing out.  The guys are all here, we’re working on starting a ball game, you in?”

“Yeah, I gotta go put my bags away and then I’ll be out.”

“Hurry up, we’re ready to start.  You’re quarterback.”

“Hey!  I’m quarterback!”  Bobby protested.

“No way, you throw for shit,”  JJ teased.

“We can’t all be Tom Brady like you, asshole.”  Bobby grunted at him sarcastically.

He hoisted his bag over his shoulder and turned to say something to Bobby when a group of girls caught his eye.  They were talking and giggling as they unloaded their car.

It was a girl leaning on the car next to them, laughing with her friends that made him do a double take.  She had a pretty smile and long light brown hair that the wind kept whipping in her face.  He smiled a little when she made a frustrated face as she pulled her hair back, fighting a ribbon in the wind.  She had a long graceful neck and he glanced down and noticed her full breasts under her colorful tank top, looking away quickly before he could be caught ogling her.

He stared a moment longer at her before she turned away when another girl called her name.  It sounded like Haley or Bailey, he couldn’t be sure because at that moment Ben playfully punched his shoulder to get his attention.

“Dude, come on!  Football! Let’s go!  Look at the ladies later.”

JJ grinned and trailed after him, looking back at the long haired girl one last time.  He had started to change his mind on coming on the trip, but seeing the girl made him hope he’d see her again on the beach.

* * *

 

_ Haley's POV  
  
_

When Megan had invited her to visit her parent’s beach house in New Hampshire for the weekend, Haley had thought about it for exactly six seconds before saying yes. It was her first summer home from college, she had her old job back; teaching swim lessons and life guarding at the pool club and when she wasn’t at work, she was hanging out with her high school friends or at home with her siblings. It was the first time they’d all been home together during the summer in three years and they were all relishing the time together before Graham went back to California, Spencer went back to New York, and Gray went back to Oxford in the fall.  
  
Despite loving her parents and brothers, she’d be crazy not to want a little girl time plus there was no way she was going to turn down the chance to hang out with her college roommate at the beach.

Henry had reluctantly agreed to Haley’s plan, not thrilled by the idea of his nineteen year old daughter and her roommate spending three days alone in a beach house but he’d relented when Brooke had reminded him that his parents had let him go off to New York for a summer by himself when he was only seventeen.

“What if there are boys there?” he’d whispered to Brooke as Haley called Megan with the good news.

“Sweetheart, I’m sure there _will_  be boys there.  Megan has a boyfriend.  You do know we write checks for her tuition to a co-ed institution, right?”

“Should have sent her to Smith or Wellesley.  Maybe I can get one of the boys to go chaperone,” he’d muttered under his breath while Brooke suppressed a grin.

Haley had driven up to York after her shift had ended on Friday afternoon and she and Megan had spent the evening eating pizza and catching up.

“Bree and Allie are coming up for the day tomorrow. They wanted to spend the night but they both have to work on Sunday afternoon and they couldn’t get the time off.  Ben’s coming and bringing a few of his buddies too. Is it going to be okay if they spend the night?”

Haley had considered this for a moment. She’d known Ben was coming and he’d spent the night at their dorm more than once but a house full of random guys she didn’t know? It WAS Megan’s house though and she did have the right to invite whoever she wanted. Still, she wished she had mentioned something about this before Haley came up.

“Hay?”

 “Yeah, sure.  Of course it’s fine. They’re friends of Ben’s. It’s cool.”

 “Good. I think you’ll like his friend, Tyler. He’s super smart and good looking and he’s going to med school in the fall.”

“Ooh, sounds interesting,” Haley had said as Megan pulled up a browser on her phone to show Haley some pictures.  
  
Tyler wound up being a no-show thanks to his summer internship at a pharmaceutical company and Bree and Allie spent the first part of the day tittering and giggling over Hayden and Jack, two of Ben’s other friends who’d come along.  Ben’s group was bigger than even Megan had thought it would be, ten guys in total, half were friends from college, the others were friends from Ben’s hometown in New Hampshire, guys he’d known since high school.

It was hard to tell them apart, all had the same lean, muscular build, tanned skin, and the height and stature of young men who were athletic, strong, and had the rest of their lives ahead of them.  Aside from Hayden, Jack, and Ben, Haley could barely remember the names of the other guys. She’d been busy packing the cooler with drinks and snacks and making sure they had enough towels and had barely looked up while Megan had introduced everyone.  
  
Now, two hours later she was kicking herself for not paying more attention. While Ben and Megan canoodled in the water and Bree and Allie attempted to play paddle ball with Jack and Hayden, Haley was alone on her towel, keeping guard over the cooler, towels, and people’s stuff.  
A few of the guys had come over to grab waters, each mumbling a version of hello until she finally gave up and began to read the book she’d stuck in her bag.  
  
“Heads up!” a male voice called and Haley looked up just in time for a football to whiz right past her face.  
  
“Bro, I told you to throw it this way and not near her!” the one with sandy brown hair shouted from behind Haley.  
  
“She’s in the middle of the fucking sand, J. How am I supposed to get it around her?”  
the guy with the dark hair, Timmy? No, Bobby, asked.  
  
Haley paused mid-reach for the football.  Were they talking about her?  
  
As Bobby turned back to his buddies he felt something hard snap his head forward and his footing staggered a bit in the sand.  
  
“What the fuc…” he began, rubbing the back of his head and spinning towards his buddy who was staring at Haley.

Hands on her hips, she glared at him, “Oops, sorry. I meant to throw it that way but your fucking head was too big for me to see around.”  
  
There was a snort of laughter from behind her and Bobby tried to stare her down before realizing it was a losing battle and turning back to his friends.  
  
“J, you coming man?” a different guy called out.  
  
“Nah, man, I’ll catch up with you guys in a bit,” the reply came from behind her.  
  
Haley had settled herself back on her towel, book in hand when the guy they called Jay plopped down beside her.  
  
“Whatcha reading?” he asked.  
  
“A book,” she said, not meeting his gaze.  
  
“What’s the name of the book?”  
  
“Frat Boys in the Sand,” she replied tartly.  
  
“Huh. I didn’t realize Jane Austen knew a lot about the beach. Or about frats for that matter.”  
  
“How did you know it was…” she started to ask as he tapped the back cover of the book where the author’s name and list of titles appeared.  
  
“I’m JJ, by the way,” he said, extending his hand to her.  
  
“Haley.  I’m Haley.”  
  
“Well Haley, you have one hell of an arm _and_ good taste in books.”  
  
She looked at him over the edge of her book, “What’s the last Jane Austen book you read?”  
  
“Persuasion.  I always feel badly for Anne and Wentworth.  It’s like everything is conspiring against them.  Hated Emma though.  Too much of a busy body, nearly blew it for her closest friend by trying to foist Elton on her,” he replied easily.  
  
“I…when did you…?”  
  
“When did I read Jane Austen? In my Intro to Lit class.  But I’ve always liked to read and my Mom was a big fan of Persuasion so I read her copy in high school. My mind is always going. Reading helps me shut it up.”  
  
“I’m…geez, I’m at a loss for words here.”  
  
He shrugged, “It’s okay.  Most people think I’m just a dumb jock when they first meet me.  Anyway, I just wanted to make sure you were okay and say thanks for pegging Bobby with that ball.  He’s a real assha…jerk.  He’s a real jerk,” he finished, standing and brushing the sand from his shorts, “See ya around, Haley.”  
  
“Bye,” she said softly, watching him walk away towards his friends.  
  
Since talking with him she’d pretended to be reading when in reality she was watching him over the edge of her book. It took only a few minutes for her to see the difference between him and the others. While the rest of the guys were playing for fun, tossing the ball around, running, and tackling each other, JJ, who was clearly playing quarterback, was assessing every single throw and move he made. It was as if he were doing mental calculations of the amount of force he’d need to use to land a throw perfectly. The look on his face was one she recognized. It was the same one Gray had when he was playing lacrosse; focused and determined.  
  
“Who _is_ he?” she asked aloud.  
  
“Who is who?” Megan asked, little droplets of water spraying onto Haley.  
  
“Hmm? Oh, that guy,” she said, pointing in JJ’s direction, “I’m trying to remember everyone’s names.”  
  
“That’s JJ,” Ben interrupted, grabbing his towel and tossing one to Megan, “I grew up with him. His mom and my mom were co-workers.”  
  
“Oh, he doesn’t go to St. A’s with you guys?”  
  
“JJ?  Nah.  My boy’s wicked smart.  He’s at MIT getting his Master’s this year.”  
  
“Why does he hang out with you then?” Megan teased and Ben squirted a little of his water bottle in her direction causing Megan to yelp.  
  
“He’s joining the Army after he finishes school,” Ben said, laying out his towel.  
  
“Really? Why? Isn’t that kind of a waste?” Megan asked and Ben rolled his eyes.  
  
“His Dad’s in the service. Special Ops. JJ’s wanted to be like his dad since we were two.”  
  
Haley’s face became pensive.  
  
“Hay? Is something wrong? Did he bother you or something?”  
  
“Who? JJ?  No. The football landed over here after almost hitting me and he came to check that I was okay. I felt badly that I didn’t know who he was,” she fibbed.  
  
“Okay, so now you know JJ and you obviously know Jack and Hayden but that tall guy with the dark hair is Bobby and then there’s Colin, Derek, Jeff, Vince, Tag, and Sid,” Ben pointed out each of the guys and Haley nodded politely, eyes never leaving JJ’s broad shouldered form, “Guys! Come over here! We’ve got lunch!”  
  
It felt as though a group of tumbling puppies had arrived as arms and legs bumped and jostled one way and the other. A towel, loaded with sand was whipped into the air and pieces caught Haley directly in the eye and she winced in pain, eyes watering in an attempt to expel the fragments. She didn’t need to look up to know who the culprit was.  
  
Instead she stood, took her towel, and made her way down the beach a short distance towards Bree and Allie who were just emerging from the water with Jack and Hayden. She smiled, chatting and pointing in the direction of their area before wading into the frigid water. When she emerged from her quick dip she headed towards her towel, spreading it out on the empty beach around her and laying back in the sun to dry.  
  
A minute later the warm sun was obscured in shadow and Haley’s eyes opened.  
  
“You’re blocking my sun.”  
  
“Yeah, but I figured you might need to eat,” JJ said, handing her a sandwich and bottle of water.

  
“Oh, I’m okay, I was just…”  
  
“Avoiding Bobby?”  
  
Blushing she nodded her head.  
  
“Can’t say I blame you. He’s the biggest ass of all of Ben’s college buddies. I saw what he did back there with the sand and the towel. Are you okay?”  
  
“Nothing hurt except my pride,” she said, smiling at him.  
  
“Yeah, well, if that douche bothers you again, he and I are going to have words.”  
  
“Thanks,” she said softly, “And for the sandwich, too.”  
  
“You’re welcome.”  
  
He let her eat in peace as he traced patterns in the sand, making him think about family vacations out to the lake.  
  
“Hey,” Haley said, nudging him slightly with her leg, “Where’d you go?”  
  
He laughed, “Nowhere. I was just thinking about my kid sister and the trips we used to take to the lake we live near..”  
  
“Yeah?  How old is she?”  
  
“Nineteen going on 25.”  
  
“She’s the same age as me!”  
  
“Huh. Imagine that, another nineteen year old in the world.”  
  
“Shut up,” Haley said, bumping his shoulder with hers.  
  
“You have any brothers or sisters?”  
  
“Three older brothers.”  
  
“Shit. Lots of fighting over the bathroom?”  
  
“No, not so much. Usually we fought over who got to pick the movie. Then my Mom caught on and had us pick numbers and that was the order we rotated in.”  
  
“All for movies?”  
  
“You have NO idea how intense we can be about movies.”  
  
JJ chuckled, “What’s your favorite?”  
  
“Promise you won’t laugh?”  
  
“Cross my heart.”  
  
“I have two…” she began, “They’re both really old Disney movie from the late sixties, early seventies.  One’s called _The Gnome Mobile_ and the other is this really cheesy, schmaltzy one called _The One and Only Genuine Original Family Band_.  My brothers haaaate that one.”  
  
“Big Disney fan?”  
  
“You could say that,” she shrugged, “But tell me yours.”  
  
“Tron,” he said, catching her surprised look, “Yeah, another Disney movie. I’m more into Dreamworks though, I have to warn you.  So tell me more about Haley. Where do you go to school?  What’s your major?  Megan’s your roommate, I think?”  
  
Over an hour later they were still chatting and laughing.  
  
“No he didn’t!” JJ said.  
  
“Yes, he did. Cross my heart!”  
  
“Hey guys,” Megan greeted, “Sorry to interrupt.  Just wondered if you wanted to go for a swim, maybe?  It’s hot and Ben’s napping but everyone else is heading in.”  
  
“I was just telling JJ about the time Spencer came to visit and how he had to get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom and when he came back he wound up getting in bed with you because he was still half asleep.”  
  
“Oh my God! I nearly wet the bed. One minute I’m asleep and the next someone’s getting into bed with me,” Megan said, laughing at the recollection.  
  
“She screamed so loud the RA was at our door in about two minutes,” Haley laughed.

 “Well, yeah, that part wasn’t funny but the next day when Patrick woke up and we told him what had happened?   _That_ was pretty damn funny.”

JJ was laughing at the story, imagining a sixteen year old kid finding out about his nocturnal wanderings.  
  
“So are you guys in for the swim?” Megan asked as soon as they’d all stopped laughing.

 “You in?” JJ asked, extending his hand to Haley as he stood up.

 “Yes, I am.  But you’ll have to beat me out there,” she said, taking a running start and jumping smoothly into the water.

“Good luck!” Megan chuckled as JJ followed close on Haley’s heels.  
  
The last time he’d raced someone in the ocean he’d been a freshman at MIT, visiting a friend’s family home on the Cape. He’d lost that time too.  
  
“Are you part mermaid?” he asked, wiping water from his face.

 “And what if I am?” she retorted, gliding with easy precision through the water.

“Is Neptune going to come drag you back to the watery depths?”  
  
She laughed and splashed him, “You’re funny.”  
  
“Well hey, if a guy with a pitchfork is coming after me, I want to be ready!”  
  
“It’s a trident, you dork.”

 “Trident, pitchfork. Potato, po-tah-to. It’s going to sting like hell getting poked with either one of those bad boys.” Haley’s smile was gigantic.  This guy was adorable.  Funny, smart, and easy on the eyes with his dark hair all damp and tousled from the water and wind, tan skin dripping beads of water across a well-toned chest, broad shoulders, and slim hips.

“I was a swimmer in high school,” she said finally as they made their way over to the rest of the group.

“You couldn’t tell me that _before_ you kicked my ass?”  
  
“Where’s the fun in that?”  
  
“Let me guess; state champ in freestyle?”  
  
“Backstroke, actually.”  
  
“No shit. You were the state champ in the backstroke?”  
  
“Twice,” she said, holding up two fingers.  
  
He stared at her, “Well, I wasn’t expecting that.”  
  
“Ha! So it’s not just me who shouldn’t judge a book by its cover,” she said.  
  
JJ grinned sheepishly, “No, I guess it isn’t.”  
  
“Come on then, race ya to the group? I’ll even give you a head star–” but he was already diving beneath the inky water.  
  
A moment later she felt herself being ducked further down into the water, something tangled around her, pressing her down with its weight. Fighting free of whatever it was, she kicked herself back up to the surface, spluttering and coughing a bit as her face breached the top of the water and she staggered a tiny bit on her feet as a small wave knocked her to the side. A pair of hands steadied her and when she looked up her blue eyes locked with another set.  
  
“Are you alright? God, I am so sorry.   I think I went off course a bit and wound up getting tangled in you and pushing you down.  Can you breathe okay? Do we need to go back to the sand?”  
  
Placing a steadying hand against his arm she took a deep breath, letting her body relax and her heart stop beating wildly.

 “I’m okay. Really. It just scared me for a minute and I needed to catch my breath.

“Shit.  Haley, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“Why are you apologizing? Unless you were trying to drown me it’s not your fault. We got tangled. I’m fine. I promise,” she said, pressing her hand to his chest for a moment that seemed to last forever.  
  
Reaching their group of friends they parted ways but somehow wound up circulating in each other’s orbit; eyes meeting across the space between them, accidentally bumping into each other when a wave broke against them, the brush of an arm here, the bump of a hip there, smiles and glances exchanged.  
  
“What is going on with you and JJ?” Megan whispered when the guys were out of earshot.

“What? Nothing. Why?”

“You’re a terrible liar, Hay. You two have been flirting all afternoon, little smiles and inside jokes, the way you sat on the beach with him for well over an hour talking about your family which you hardly ever do with ANYONE, and what was that earlier with him looking all shaken up when you came out of the water?”

“Oh please, now you’re reading into things. I’m the same age as his sister. He’s the same age as Maddie. We raced, our legs got tangled up and I got pushed down in the water. He was just worried I wasn’t okay. I don’t think a marriage proposal is forthcoming,” Haley said, rolling her eyes though her heart was beating a steady rhythm of _what if, what if, what if._

Megan eyed her friend skeptically, “Okay, whatever you say.”

With wrinkled hands and feet, blue lipped and chattering, everyone emerged from the water, moving hastily towards their towels, almost sighing in relief at the feel of the hot sun beneath their feet. As people began to towel off, Haley looked around for her bag which she knew she’d left near the cooler. She’d left it there along with her spare towel, book, and sunscreen and now it was gone. She peeked around a few chairs, thinking perhaps people had moved it out of the way when they’d come in to eat but nothing. A few more minutes of searching revealed nothing and by then Megan, Ben, JJ, and a few of the other guys were looking as well.  
  
“What color did you say it was?” Tag called out from a nearby trash can.  
  
“Blue with white sailboats,” Haley said, looking up as he pulled a bag matching that description from the can.  
  
Everything was still inside, though the bottle of sunscreen had been squeezed over the towel and the pages of the book had been saturated with something and then rubbed in the sand.  
  
The tears pricked the back of her eyes as she fought to keep her composure. That book had belonged to her mother’s Nonna and when Haley had first shown an interest in Jane Austen, her mother had gifted her with the entire set of Austen novels that her grandmother had given to her.  
  
The towel, the bag, the sunscreen, all those things were easily replaceable. The book with its yellow and paper thin pages, words circled that her great-grandmother would look up to help improve her English, the dainty, feminine script that read Madelena Francesca Arcano on the front page; all those things were not capable of recovery. Tight lipped and trembling, Haley took the bag from Tag’s outstretched hand, withdrawing the book before depositing the rest of the contents back into the trash can. She glanced in Megan’s direction before inclining her head towards the house and then slowly, her face burning with anger, she made her way back to the cottage.  
  
“Excuse me for a minute,” Megan said quietly to JJ and Ben who were standing next to her.  
  
“Man that sucks,” Ben said, “I feel bad that someone did that to her stuff.”  
  
JJ nodded.  It was definitely shitty.  He racked his brain, trying to remember if he’d seen anyone strange lurking around their stuff but nothing came to mind.  Then again, they’d been preoccupied talking and swimming so anyone could have grabbed it while they were all in the water.  Further conversation with the rest of the group revealed that no one else had seen anything either.  No one else seemed to have anything missing, and aside from the usual sandy towels and sunscreen and salt water smeared sunglasses, no one’s things seemed to be damaged.  
  
The girls seemed a bit more on edge but the guys kept laughing and joking and soon Allie and Bree were right back to their old selves, flirting and giggling at everything Hayden and Jack said. Allie got up to get a drink from the cooler, asking if anyone else wanted one and there was a round of answers.  
  
“Sure thing, blondie,” Bobby said.  
  
Allie giggled uncomfortably before reaching into the cooler.  
  
“Look at that ass,” Bobby whispered appreciatively to the guys sitting closest to him.  
  
“Dude, come on.  She’s standing right there,” Tag answered, looking to the others for help.  
  
“That is a prime piece of rump roast right there,” Bobby continued, growling as he pretended to gnaw on a bone or piece of meat.  
  
Several of the guys chuckled but Tag got up and walked towards the water.  
  
“Awww, poor little Taggy-Waggy can’t handle talking about girls.”  
  
“Bob, do you ever shut up?” JJ asked.  He’d heard enough of the guy’s stupid comments for one day.  
  
“What?  You too, Jay?  Too busy solving quadratic equations to think about the ladies?”  
  
Bobby high-fived Jeff at the remark.  
  
“Yeah, that must be it,” JJ mumbled.  It wasn’t worth getting into it with him.  He’d been having a blast and now after the last half an hour or so, he was considering finding a bus to get him back home.  
  
“Yo, JJ!” Ben called, “I need your help!”  
  
“Yeah, JJ, Ben needs your help.  Run along!” Bobby said as he and Jeff high fived again.  
  
JJ’s hands clenched and unclenched at his side as he stood from his spot, grabbing his towel.   _He’s an ass, JJ.  Don’t even let him get to you._  He thought to himself as he headed towards Ben.  
  
Catching up to his friend, he caught sight of Haley in the window of the house, a phone pressed to her ear. He couldn’t hear what she was saying but she looked sad and he felt bad that they all hadn’t been paying more attention to everyone’s things.  
  
“I hope it’s okay I called you in. Meg wants to get the grill going for dinner and I figured you could help out with cooking and whatever.”  
  
“Yeah, sure thing.”  
  
“She’s got the burgers and dogs in the kitchen and maybe some chicken too.  Would you go grab it while I scrape it off?”  
  
Inside the cottage Megan was cutting some vegetables and as Ben had promised, two trays of meat sat on the counter top.  
  
“Hey JJ. Thanks for helping out,” Megan said.  
  
“Yeah, no problem. How’s Haley? I feel bad about her stuff getting trashed like that. I don’t even remember seeing anyone strange around.”  
  
“She’s okay. I think she’s less worried about the bag and towel. The book belonged to her great-grandmother so she’s pretty upset about that. She’s on the phone with her mom now.”  
  
“That really sucks.”  
  
“Yeah, it does. She’ll be okay though. She’s tough.”  
  
“Right.  Yeah.  Sure.  Of course,” he mumbled, taking the plates and heading for the sliding door.  
  
“Not interested in her, my ass,” Megan muttered to herself as the door shut behind him.  
  
The guys basically stole the deck, devouring every single plate of food set before them and after bringing out two bags of potato chips and three different kinds of salad, Megan called it quits.  
  
“If they want anything else, they can come get it themselves.”  She said, sitting on the couch next to Haley.  “God I forget what an absolute dick Bobby can be,”  
  
“Dick isn’t even strong enough,” Allie said, “He was ogling my ass at the beach.  Really creepy and weird.”  
  
“Hayden said he’s super popular with the girls at school,” Bree added though her crinkled nose indicated her distaste.  
  
“I’m sure he is.  Guys like that always manage to have a slew of girls fighting over them,” Haley snarked as she rose from her seat, “I’ll be right back.  Need a little aloe for my sun burn.”  
  
The girls continued to chat about their plans for next semester and Allie and Bree barely looked up when the slider opened.

“Hey,” JJ said, “Ben said the bathroom was down the hall to the right?”

Megan nodded, giving him a smile.

He’d just reached up to knock on the closed door when it opened suddenly and Haley stepped out.

“Hi. Sorry. Needed a little aloe for my shoulders,” she said, holding up the bottle.

“No, no. That’s okay. I just came in.  Are you alright though?”

“Yeah, fine. It’s just a little sunburn.  Slapped on some aloe and I’ll be good to go in the morning.”

“No, I, uh, meant about your bag and everything.”  
  
“Oh. I’m….well, honestly, I just am right now.  The bag and towel weren’t important. The book was and I don’t think it can be fixed so it kind of sucks.”  
  
“More than kind of.  I’m really sorry, Haley. I wish I had been paying more attention to our stuff when we were in the water.”  
  
“JJ, it’s not your fault.  You couldn’t have known,” she said, her hand on his upper arm.  
  
JJ suddenly felt like the air between them had increased in temperature.  Her hand on his arm burned at the spot where their skin connected and for a second he wondered if he had a sunburn of his own.  She had her hair pulled back, giving him a glimpse of the line of her long, slender neck and there was something about her perfume, fresh, clean, like newly washed laundry fresh from the dryer that was intoxicating.  
  
“Haley…”  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“I…”  
  
_It’s now or never, Haley,_ she thought to herself as she leaned forward on her tip toes, closing her eyes just before she brushed her mouth over his.

It didn’t last long, a few seconds at most and when she pulled back he was standing there with his eyes shut.  Slowly they fluttered open and blue eyes met blue eyes and Haley saw something there she couldn’t name, only could tell that it wasn’t desire or interest or lust.  God she was an idiot!  The very first nice guy she’d met in a long time and she’d had to go and screw it up by kissing him all because Megan insisted he was into her. Well it served her right for believing it in the first place.  Guys like him weren’t interested in girls like her.  Hell, he was probably being nice to her because she reminded him of his kid sister.  
  
“Sorry,” she mumbled, pushing past him and rushing up the nearby stairs, desperate to avoid any further interaction.

“Haley, wait!” he called after her, but it was in vain.  She’d reached the top of the stairs and a moment later he heard the quiet click of a door latching into place.  Slumping back against the wall JJ ran a hand through his hair, groaning in frustration.  Never had the sound of a door snicking shut felt so final.


	2. Chapter 2

JJ’s pov

 

JJ spent the rest of the evening hanging out with Ben and company.  After growing tired of video games and sitting around the living room, the group decided to head into town to check out a local ice cream place and some beach shops.

As they walked along the rows of shops, he fell in step next to Megan with his hands in his pockets and tried to act as casual as possible.

“Isn’t Haley coming?”  He asked looking away quickly with burning cheeks as Megan gave him a knowing look.

“She wasn’t feeling well.  Too much sun or something, but she said she’ll see us tomorrow at the beach.”

She gave him a playful nudge with her elbow and smiled, “Why?  Miss her?”

“Nah.  I mean yeah.  She’s cool to talk to.”  He shrugged and looked around as though looking for an escape from the conversation.

“Ahhh I see.  Well I’m sure she’ll be chatty again tomorrow.”  She giggled as Ben walked over to them and grabbed her hand dragging her off to a beach shop.

He watched them head into a t shirt shop and then looked at his watch thinking about going back to see her.  He knew Haley didn’t go with them because of the kiss and he wanted to talk to her about it.

He was taken off guard when it happened and was at a loss for words.  He enjoyed it but he didn’t expect to meet anyone on his trip so he was just as surprised as Haley looked when she backed away, her blue eyes wide and slightly confused.  His lips had tingled for a long time afterward and even now he could remember how soft, warm, and full they were.

When she ran off, obviously embarrassed, he wanted to kick himself for making her feel bad but she hadn’t come down from her room.  He didn’t want to push it by knocking on her door and bothering her if she wanted to be alone.  He had hoped to see her on their outing but she obviously was still upset with him.  Maybe he could talk to her tomorrow at the beach and set things right.

* * *

 

Haley didn’t show at the beach the next day.  During the beach football game, JJ kept looking in the direction of the group’s towels and gear hoping he’d see her sitting with the other girls, but she and Megan never showed.

During a game break, he had jumped in the water to cool down and then headed back to his towel for  a drink.  When he reached his towel, Ben looked up from at him with a smirk and tossed him a water bottle.

“She’s not coming today.  She’s shopping at Perkin’s Cove with Megan.”  He took a sip of water and smiled as JJ tried to feign an uninterested look.

“I’m not looking for anyone.”  He replied, trying to hide his disappointment.

Ben shook his head with a chuckle, “Dude, I’ve been watching you.  Ask her out already, it’s pretty obvious you’re into her.”

“Can’t.”  He dug at the sand with his toes, “I think she’s avoiding me.”

“Why, something happen already?”  Ben took a bite of his apple and waited for the reply with interest as JJ sat down on his towel.

“No.  Well kind of.”  He took a sip of water and looked at the surf and then back at Ben.  “She kissed me.”

“And?”

“And that’s it.”

“What do you mean that’s it?  Did you kiss her back?”

“Not really.  I kind of stood there like an idiot and she ran off upset.”

Ben threw his head back with a deep groan, “Whaaat?  What’s wrong with you??”

“I know, I just didn’t see it coming so I froze.”

“Ah man.  Are you gonna talk to her tonight?”

“I’m going to try, I haven’t seen her all day.”

Ben took another bite of apple and started pointing at JJ excited while hurrying to finish swallowing the bite.  He about to speak when he made a disgusted face and nodded down the beach.

“Shit, here comes Bobby with one of his fair maidens.”  He said turning his nose up at the girl.

Bobby was walking toward them with a busty blonde in a flashy bikini in tow.  He would turn and hurry her up by leaning over to tickle or grab her rear to which she’d laugh and jump around, Bobby ogling her breasts all the while.

JJ rolled his eyes, “Ah shit, it’s the girl he said he was going to introduce me to.”  He said witheringly.

“Are you sure?  His hands on her ass…”

JJ looked up as the pair approached him, “Hey man.”  He greeted Bobby quietly.

“Jay, look who I found!  Cheryl this is JJ.”

“Nice to meet you.”  JJ said extending his hand up to her politely.

She giggled and looked confused at his gesture and after an awkward moment he pulled his hand back.

“Are you going to the bonfire tonight?”  She asked, sizing him up with her eyes, none too discreetly.

“Uh, yeah.  But I think I’m going with someone actually.”

“Good, it’s a date then!”  She giggled.

JJ’s eyes widened slightly when he realized Cheryl’s mistake.  “Wait what?  Oh I didn’t mean—“

“Damn, player!”  Bobby said in appreciation.  He put a hand on Cheryl’s lower back and started to lead her away.  “We’ll see you tonight then.”

Before Ben or JJ could say anything else, the two walked away leaving the guys stunned.  Bobby slapping at Cheryl’s rear again as she giggled and hopped around.

“What the hell just happened??”  Ben asked, his lip curled in confusion and disgust.

“I don’t know, I think I have a date.”  JJ said dumbfounded.

“Dude, you need to talk to Haley before tonight.”  Ben advised, nodding toward the brazen couple moving away from them down the beach.

JJ nodded with a frustrated sigh.  _When I find her finally._

* * *

 

The late afternoon arrived and still no sign of Haley.  JJ had helped some of the girls in the kitchen with food prep to keep himself busy but was called away when Ben needed more manpower to help set up the fire.

“Still no sign?”  Ben grunted as he hefted a wood flat onto the pile.

“Nah.”  JJ replied glancing at the house from time to time.

“Maybe you’re just a bad kisser.”  Ben teased with a quick laugh, tossing a log onto the pile.

“Shut up.”  JJ grinned.  He looked at the house again and saw Haley finally.  She was coming up the walk from her car with Megan, who was chattering excitedly about something while Haley seemed to be thoughtful, taking it all in.

He watched her for a minute with his hands on his hips, but before he worked up the nerve to call over to her, she entered the house and was gone.

 _Shit._   He thought, as he took another log from the truck and added it to the pile.

* * *

 

It was now past sundown and the bonfire was well under way, music playing and the fire keeping the chill and biting insects off of the partygoers.

JJ hadn’t found Haley yet, but did find Cheryl flirting with a group of guys before Bobby pointed her toward JJ’s direction.

She eagerly trotted to his side and followed him around like a puppy as he mingled and kept his eyes out for Haley.  After an hour or so of looking, he gave up for a while deciding to sit in a spot she might see him.

“So do you go to school around here?”  Cheryl asked as she plunked down next to him with yet another drink.

“Huh?”  Oh yeah, kinda.  MIT.”  He looked over at her, eyed her cup and then looked away with a sigh.

“Ohhhh nice.  Are you gonna be a scientist?”

JJ looked around the fire before turning back to Cheryl.

“Nah, computer science and engineering.  I’m going into the Army after this.”

Cheryl hiccupped and grabbed his bicep.  “Oooh, when you’re in the Army will you come visit me in your uniform?”  Her words were already slurring due to too many drinks already.

“I don’t think they’re allowed to do that.”  He couldn’t remember what his dad had said about uniforms, but at the moment he just wanted Cheryl to stop talking and let him look for Haley.

“Well you could always come visit me anyway.”

“I don’t know, Cheryl.”  He watched her with concern and noticed she was way too drunk.  He took her drink and tossed the liquid onto the sand.

“Hey!”

“Let’s get you some water.”

“I don’t want water, I want youuuuu.”  She said moving closer to him, putting an arm around him.

“You’re all muscle aren’t you?”  She squealed in delight.  “You looked soooo hot this morning!”  Some nearby people looking over before going back to their own conversations.

“Let’s just get you some water, okay.”  JJ repeated patiently yet annoyed, unwinding her arm from around him and looking around the fire.  “Where’s Bobby?”

“Dunno.  He told me to piss off and go see you.”

“Great…”  JJ sighed.  Now he was stuck babysitting a hammered girl.  He decided to give up his search for Haley and just mingle with his friends again, why waste a good night moping at a party.

He stood and helped Cheryl up, starting to walk around again looking for Bobby.  He finally spied him with a group of girls and pointed him out to Cheryl.

“Okay there he is.  He’s gonna take you home or get you some water or something.  I have to get going.”

“Nooooo, stay here.  We can go to the water.”  She tugged on his forearm almost tripping on her own feet as she pulled at him.  JJ didn’t budge and held her up as she stumbled.

“Yeah, that’s the last place you should be right now.”  He muttered.

They walked to Bobby and he put a large hand on his shoulder, spinning him around roughly.

“Hey here’s your date back.”  He spat.  “Get her some water and make sure she gets home okay.”

“She’s your date, you do it.”  He winked at Cheryl and she giggled.

“Bobby I don’t have time to fuck with you.  Just make sure she gets home, okay.”

He turned and walked away listening to Cheryl and Bobby both drunkenly mock him.

* * *

 

He sat on the porch for a while catching up and laughing with some old friends who arrived late.  When they left for the beach, he stayed behind and sat watching the water crash along the sand.

“Hey!  Whatcha doing up here?”  Megan appeared at the porch steps with a friendly smile as she walked up to him.

“Looking for someone but I missed them.”  He replied, his tone slightly bland.

“Oh Haley?”  She asked drawling out the name playfully.  “She’s down there now.  She might still be at the drink table.

JJ perked up and caught himself, trying to act casual.

“Thanks.”

“No problem.  Oh, can you get Bobby to get his girlfriend under control?  She wasted and making a fool of herself.

JJ leaped up and hurried to the steps, “Ah shit, he was supposed to take her home.  He’s such an asshole.”

He stormed down to the crowd of guys around Cheryl watching her dance provocatively and went over to her.

“Where’s Bobby?”

“Get me a drink and I’ll tell you.”

“No, that’s not happening.  I’m getting you home.”

“Noooooo, I’m dancing!”

“I can see that but I think you need to go home and sleep it off now.”

“Why do you care?  You dumped me.”

“Let’s just get you home.  Bobby’s not a good guy, I can’t leave you like this here.”

Cheryl stopped dancing and came over to JJ and put her arms around him.  She smelled like she fell into a vat of tequila and he wanted to gag.

“Do you have any other friends here?”

“Just you and Bobby.”  She clung onto him, stumbling again.

JJ sighed and looked around for Megan to help him with her.  “Ah shit.”  He muttered seeing no sign of her.

“Come on.” He said, taking her hand and leading her away from the bonfire, grabbing a bottle of water at the drink table and put it in his cargo shorts pocket.  She followed him, giggling to herself.

He called a cab as they walked to the parking lot and waited keeping them in sight of others.

After what seemed like an hour, a cab arrived and parked in front of them, Cheryl gave him her address and sister’s name before starting to doze off.  JJ hurried to get her up, opened the door and helped her inside.

He strapped her in and then leaned farther into the car toward the cab driver.  He gave her address and then put the bottle of water next to Cheryl.

“Listen, she’s had a lot to drink.  She lives with her sister so she can help you the rest of the way.  Here’s another 20 in case… yknow.”  He made a vomit gesture and the cabbie nodded.

“Thanks buddy.  You’re a good guy.”

 _I don’t feel like one._   JJ thought to himself.  As he was starting to lean out of the car, Cheryl leaned up to him and before he knew it her lips were on him, her tongue forcing into his mouth.  He jumped away quickly wiping his mouth.

“Whoa whoa.  That’s not gonna happen Cheryl.”  He said gently.  “Sorry about Bobby, you should stay away from that guy.”  He advised.

He leaned out of the door and stood up, shutting it, watching the cab start to drive away.

He didn’t notice the pair of eyes watching him.

* * *

 

He strode back down the beach looking for Bobby.  When he found him he was playing beer pong with another group of girls.  Bobby looked up and saw him coming and grinned.

“Hey player!  How’s Cheryl?”  He raised his eyebrows at JJ and nodded at him quickly with a smirk, “How was she?”

“Do you know where she is now?”

“No, she was leeching on me so I told her to get lost.”

JJ gave him a shove on the shoulder than sent him tumbling away from the table.  The girls collected their drinks and hurried off., nervously looking behind them.

“Hey!  What’s your problem, dick!”

“You’re my problem!  She was piss drunk, Bobby!  She was so out of it guys were all over her and she couldn’t walk or think straight.  I got her in a cab and sent her home.  I told you to watch her!”

With each sentence, JJ was shoving Bobby roughly along the beach away from the bonfire, letting his anger get the best of him.

“Hey, watch it!”  Bobby shouted as he took another shove to the shoulders.

“You’re such an asshole, you leave a girl drunk like that??  Are you that much of a dick??”

“Whatever, she’s going home isn’t she?”

“That could have been your sister, you want her treated like that??”

Bobby stood up as JJ relaxed a little breathing heavily.

“Oh fuck you JJ, we’re not all knights in shining armor helping girls with their trashed bags and making sure drunk sluts get home safe.  You should have taken her to your room and gotten your dick sucked before you dump—“

JJ’s fist suddenly met Bobby’s jaw with a crack and Bobby fell in the sand.  He held his chin for a moment before leaping up and charging back at JJ.  JJ had the advantage of being in better shape and sober.  He moved to the side and let Bobby fall again, standing over him.

“Just stay down!”  He stood over Bobby, his fists clenched, breathing hard.  “You’re just a piece of trash, you know that?”

He started to walk away and a second later a hard weight forced him to the ground.  JJ turned in time to see Bobby’s furious face in his as they started grappling and throwing punches.

He heard Ben shout and come running with some other guys and they pulled Bobby off and held him up, Ben helped JJ stand.

He brushed under his nose and saw blood on his fingers before frowning.

“I’m outta here.  Sorry Ben.”

“JJ wait a minute.”  He turned to Bobby and glowered at him.  “Dammit Bobby, you weren’t even invited and you fucked up another party.”

“No he didn’t, he just needs to go and it’ll be fine.”  Megan stepped up behind Ben, her arms crossed, frowning.

“You shut up, bitch!”  Bobby spat angrily.

“Hey!  Shut your mouth or I will for you!”  Ben said angrily, his body tense before looking at one of the guys holding Bobby.  “Get him out of here.”

JJ moved away from the group and back up the beach to the beach house.  He’d had enough for the night.

He had come to the beach to not think about upcoming classes.  It was nice to get together with Ben and his friends again, and then he met Haley and the weekend was looking even better.  They talked for a long time, getting to know each other and he found he had relaxed and was thinking about things other than school.  Then he screwed everything up and now she was avoiding him.

He decided to call it a night and start fresh in the morning.

* * *

 

Haley’s POV

 

Megan had come looking for her later, wondering where she had disappeared to and asking if she wanted to head into town with the rest of them for some ice cream and to check out the shops.

“Maybe JJ will buy you a cone,” she’d teased as a look of discomfort crossed over Haley’s face. “Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I think I just ate too much and got too much sun. My stomach is churning. Can I take a pass? I really don’t want to get sick on the sidewalk.”

“Of course. Ben and I can stay here though. I don’t want you to have to be alone.”

“No, it’s fine. You go. Have fun. I’m just going to lay here, watch a movie, and pass out.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure. Go hold hands with your man and make him buy you a t-shirt or something,” Haley said, smiling up at her friend.

“Okay, but call me if you get sick or need anything? We’ll come right back.”

“Promise.”

She hadn’t been completely lying when she’d said she had gotten too much sun.  She was sunburnt. She also hadn’t been lying when she’d complained of her stomach being upset either.  It just wasn’t because of food.

She was mortified at having kissed him.  She had absolutely no reason to think he was interested aside from Megan’s comments and the fact he’d brought her a sandwich.  Well, that and how nice, funny, and sweet he’d been all day long.  Still, it had been presumptuous and she felt like an idiot.

She’d heard everyone leave and waited twenty or so minutes before sneaking downstairs to grab some water. On her way back upstairs her phone pinged and she smiled at the picture of her brothers and mother in front of a huge tray of lasagna.

After an afternoon of cracking the whip, the least she could do was feed us.  Graham had texted.

Pressing the most recent number in her phone she waited for the phone to connect and then the familiar, deep voice of her older brother came over the line.

“Hey LeLe,” he greeted, using the nickname he had since he was two and unable to say Haley.

“I see Mom made you guys a feast.”

“She owed us after we cleaned out the garage.  She’s having some huge yard sale next weekend. Your presence is requested.”

“I know, she told me before I left.  I have to do the early morning shift at the club but should be there by one.”

“Cool.”

“What are you guys up to now?”

“I just dropped Spence at Eric’s house.  They’re going paintballing in the am.  Now I’m on my way to Beth’s house.”

“Ohhh, romantic night out?” she teased.  Beth had been dating Graham since high school and was like her second sister.

“Hardly.  We’re babysitting the twins for her brother.”

“Well then I guess it’s a good thing you’re so awesome with kids, isn’t it?”

“Oh God, now I know you want something!” Graham laughed.

“Why?  Can’t a younger sister just call her older brother to say hello?”

“Okay, we’ve said hello. Now goodbye.”

“Graham, wait.”

“Go ahead.”

“So there’s this guy…”

“Did he bother you? Say something to you?  Do something?  Because so help me God, I’ll drive to York right now and—“

“GRAHAM!  You sound like Dad.  Relax, he didn’t do anything.  In fact,  just the opposite.  He was super nice and friendly, we hung out all day and I thought maybe he was flirting with me.  Megan did too but I kissed him and he…he didn’t react.  At all.  And now I’m mortified and have to spend the rest of the weekend with him and I don’t know what to do.”

Graham’s muffled laughter was heard over the line.

“Good bye, Graham.  I don’t need you laughing at me to feel any worse than—“

“Haley, come on.  I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to laugh.  So you kissed the guy and he did what exactly?”

“He did…nothing.”

“Nothing?  He didn’t push you away or try to kiss you back or say thanks but no thanks and walk away?”

“No, he just sort of…stood there I guess?”

“Did he look mad?”

“No, he looked…confused, maybe?  Taken aback?  Honestly, I didn’t stick around to find out.  I ran upstairs and have pretty much been hiding out since.”

“Did you consider he might have been surprised that you kissed him?”

“Well, no.  But if he liked me why wouldn’t he kiss me back?”

“Because he’s probably nervous as hell around you and doesn’t want to screw it up. Plus, if you caught him off guard, he probably wasn’t bringing his A-game.”

“Nervous?  Around me?  But why?”

“Oh I don’t know.  Maybe because you’re smart and funny and cool and not at all phased by the shit we grew up around and with.  And you’re my sister so you’ve gotta be pretty decent looking.  Guys, well, we’re kind of morons when it comes to girls like you.  And if he’s one of the usual guys you date, then he’s probably even more intimidated by you than your average guy.”

“So you think he likes me?”

“I think he’s an idiot if he doesn’t,” Graham said, making Haley smile.  He might be her big brother but he was also one of her best friends.

“Should I say something?  Apologize?  Tell him I like him?”

“I think you just play it cool.  Let him come to you tomorrow.  See what happens.  And I meant what I said, LeLe, if he isn’t interested then it’s his loss.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, she leaned back against her pillow, “Thanks, Graham.”

“Anytime, sis.”

They chatted for another minute or two before he pulled into Beth’s driveway and said goodnight and when Haley fell asleep, she thought that just maybe she hadn’t messed up at all.

At breakfast the next morning all of the guys except for Ben were conspicuously missing.

“Bobby and some of the others hit a bar on their way back,” Ben explained, buttering his toast.

“And staggered in wasted after two,” Megan murmured under her breath at Haley who was sitting at the breakfast bar drinking some tea.

“What are you two up to today?” Ben asked.

“Ah, I think just the beach again.  Yeah, Meg?”

“No, Haley and I are going to Perkin’s Cove and doing some shopping.  We need stuff for the apartment and we’re all out of bread and milk thanks to your boys.  Plus, my Dad asked me to stop into the hardware store and check and see if the stuff he ordered had come in yet and with Bree and Allie gone, it’s a little too much testosterone.  Unless, of course, you have something...or should I say, someone else in mind?” Megan teased.

Haley blushed and Ben gave a quick snort of laughter before covering it up with a cough.

“No, no, shopping’s fine.  Great, actually.  I need a birthday gift for my Mom and a new book,” Haley said quickly though both Megan and Ben caught her pointed look at the staircase.

“He asked about you last night, you know,” Megan whispered as Ben went out onto the deck.

“He did?  I mean, who?  Who asked about me?”

“Jacob Jensen Junior.”

“Oh. Really?” she asked, feigning nonchalance.

Megan turned to her then, eyes serious “Just do yourself a favor and talk to him.  JJ’s pretty reserved and usually pretty serious.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile as much as he did yesterday.  Even Ben commented on it.  So if you do like him, just be honest with him, okay?”

“Okay,” Haley answered quietly.

Somehow shopping took nearly the entire day though Haley was pretty sure it was because Megan wanted to get away from Bobby who she said had behaved like a complete ass the night before.  Evidently he’d been so loud at the ice cream place that they’d been asked to leave and when Ben had tried to say something to him later, Bobby had told him to fuck off and taken off with a few of the other guys to go drink.

“So can I ask you something?” Haley had said as they sat down for lunch.

“Sure.  Shoot.”

“What can you tell me about JJ?”

“So you are interested?”

“Yes.  Maybe.  I don’t know.  Yes?  I think?  I sorta maybe kissed him.”

“Wait.  You KISSED him?”

“Kinda, not really. I mean I did but he didn’t kiss me back.”

“What did he do?”

“Um, nothing.”

“What do you mean nothing?”

“He just sort of stood there and didn’t say anything and I was embarrassed so I ran upstairs and…”

“And pretended to be sick?”

 Haley nodded. “Don’t hate me, please.”

Megan laughed, “Why would I hate you?  See, here’s the thing about JJ.  He’s not like a lot of other guys.  He’s thoughtful, serious and super, super smart.  I mean we’re talking like 2400 on his SAT’s smart and I think he gets a lot of attention from girls but it’s because he looks the way he does and I don’t think he’s into that.”

“So, he doesn’t like girls?”

“No, he likes girls.  He’s dated.  Ben said he had a pretty serious girlfriend in high school.  I just think he wants something more serious and less shallow.”

“But what if he thinks I came on too strong or that I’m like the other girls who flirt with him?”

“Honey, he looked like he’d lost his favorite toy last night when I told him you wouldn’t be coming with us.”

“Well, what am I supposed to do now?”

“I have just the thing!” Megan said.

“What?”

“We’re going to make you irresistible for the bonfire and then you’re going to go and talk to him.”

“You think that’ll work?”

“I think it’s a hell of a lot better than watching you two mope and act like you’re not interested in each other. Besides, even if he isn’t interested, there’ll be other guys there and a cute new outfit never hurt anyone.”

 Later when they got back to the house Haley noticed the guys down on the beach unloading firewood for the bonfire later that night.  She kept her eyes on Megan but her mind replayed the events of the previous evening; the surprising softness of JJ’s lips, the way his eyes had been shut when she’d opened her own, his smell, fresh, clean and masculine.  Smiling and nodding at whatever Megan had been saying she went into the house to get ready.  Tonight she’d find him and talk to him, right now she needed to get ready.

The night had been an unmitigated disaster.  It had started out well enough with a beautiful sunset, fun music, and a great fire that provided a little warmth for the partygoers but kept the bugs away.  There’d been a potluck of food; steamers and sausages, hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, and someone had brought steak tips.  There were tons of different kinds of salads and potato chips and a massive, party sized sub.  Haley had been too nervous to eat and though she’d taken the cup of beer Tag had offered her, she’d spent the night walking around with it in her hand, drinking from her water bottle instead.

She’d caught sight of JJ a few times but he’d been talking to Ben and a few of the other guys around the fire and she hadn’t wanted to interrupt, especially not with Bobby hanging around.  Then he’d been talking to a girl she didn’t recognize and hadn’t met.

Eventually Megan had lured her away to meet a few other girls whose parents had houses in the area and who Megan had known forever.  She’d chatted with them for a while and found that one of them knew Maddie from a camp they’d gone to as kids so they spent some time talking and Haley took the girl’s name and number to give to her sister.

By the time she found JJ again the same girl from earlier was buzzing around him like a fly and bile churned in her stomach.  She couldn’t quite tell if he was trying to shake her off or if he was encouraging her advances which unsettled her.  Maybe he hadn’t kissed her back because he was already involved with someone else.  Shaking off the thoughts as she remembered what Megan had told her earlier she went back to talking with Ben and Tag by the drink table.

“Hey guys, has anyone seen Bobby?” Megan asked, approaching the table.

“I thought I saw him go up to the house,” Tag offered, handing a drink to Ben.

“Why?  Everything okay, babe?” Ben said.

“Yeah, fine.  His date’s over there dancing by the DJ and being generally belligerent because he didn’t have a song he wanted.  He needs to get her some water and bring her home.”

“Shit.  We’ll go look around down here, you go check out the house, okay?”

Haley and Tag took off in separate directions, scanning the crowd in search of the dark haired Bobby.

It was Haley who found him in tiny little outcropping of beach, hidden by the rocks, lit only by the bright moon reflecting off the water.  A blonde girl with tousled hair and smeared lipstick was walking away tipsily and Bobby had just finished pulling his shorts back up, rebuckling his belt and sliding back into his shirt.

“Well, well, well,” he leered, “Come to your senses and finally decided to see what a real man looks like?”

Haley’s nose crinkled in disgust.  He was repugnant. Loathsome and repugnant.

“No. I came to tell you that your date is drunk and making a fool of herself.  Ben and Megan would like you to come and get her and take her home.”

“Date? What date? I didn’t bring any girl here.”

“Well whoever she is must have said she knew you or that she was with you because everyone’s looking for you now,” Haley said, turning on her heel to leave before Bobby grabbed her arm.

“Hey now, what’s the rush? You don’t want some alone time with Bob-O?”

Haley looked up at him, smelling the stench of beer and sweat along with a trace of pot, “No, thank you.”

“Stay awhile.  I think we could have some fun,” he said, eyes darkening.

“Please let go of my arm,” she said, twisting slightly.

“And what if I said I wouldn’t?”

Heart racing in her chest Haley considered her options for a moment.  She could scream but it was likely no one would hear her over the music and waves.  He was holding her just far enough away from him that she wouldn’t be able to land a kick to his groin and even if she did struggle he would likely be able to overpower her.  Instead she made a proposal.

“Fine.”

“Fine?” he asked.

“You let go of me and we’ll race.  If you catch me, you can do whatever you want with me,” she said, lowering her eyelashes and looking up at him bewitchingly.

“Whatever I want?”

“Anything you and Bob-O want,” she said, marching the fingertips of her free hand up his chest, enunciating each word.

“Deal,” he said, letting go of her arm, “I’ll even be a nice guy and give you a little head start.”

Haley took off just as soon as he released her, her feet barely connecting with the sand as she ran as fast as she could back to the crowd.  She knew she was faster thanks to her near daily runs, knew she had the advantage of not being liquored up, and knew her adrenaline was racing in fear.

She didn’t look back to see where he was, instead she raced right past the crowd gathered around the DJ, past the food table, slowing briefly to wave in response to Tag and Ben who called out after her, gasping out, “bathroom!” to Megan who was coming down the steps that led from the houses to the beach.  She stopped only when she reached the pavement and saw a small crowd of guys and girls on the porch of Megan’s house only fifty or so yards away.

Panting, she positioned herself so she could see the steps and the house, prepared to make another mad dash for it if needed.  A cab pulled up a moment later and then a guy and a girl walked towards it.  The guy looked surprisingly like JJ.  Wait, it _was_ JJ and he was with the girl who’d been with him earlier.

He held the door open for her as she nearly tripped into the cab.  His hand rested on her lower back, steadying her as she slid into the backseat.  From where she stood it looked as though JJ said something to the cabbie, handing him several bills and then he leaned down and kissed the girl he’d just helped into the backseat.  Haley felt her stomach roll and heave and the urge to retch hit her like a ton of bricks.

Dashing up the stairs of Megan’s house she narrowly made it to the kitchen sink before losing the contents of her stomach.  Several people who had been hanging out inside made comments about drinking and knowing one’s limits.  Haley, eyes welling with tears, heart heavy, mind running overtime thanks to her near escape from Bobby and what she had just witnessed, took the stairs two at a time to her bedroom.

 

Now, in her car on her way home, the lights and sounds of York a little ways behind her, she was a nervous wreck.  Checking her rearview mirror every few minutes convinced that Bobby was going to pull up behind her combined with her tears over the situation with JJ, she was unable to drive.  Pulling over in a well-lit, highly trafficked area, she took out her phone and dialed a number.

“Can you come and get me?” she asked, voice breaking.


	3. Chapter 3

Haley’s POV

 

Megan and Ben had met her on the side of the road and after Haley explained what had happened to make her leave in such a rush, they’d driven back to the beach house, a grim faced Ben driving Haley’s car while Megan followed in her own. There were still a few partygoers left on the beach, enjoying the final stages of the fire but the place had largely cleared out and the house was empty except for the three of them.

“I just don’t understand why you didn’t run straight here and find me,” Ben said as a weary Haley dropped onto the couch, Megan beside her.

“Because I just wanted to get away from him. And I didn’t want to create a scene.”

“Oh don’t worry,” Megan said, “He did that ALL by himself.”

“Haley, you don’t honestly think I’d want some guy who was...forcing himself on girls to stick around my party, do you? What if hadn’t been you? What if it was someone else?”

“I’m sorry, Ben. I really am. I wasn’t thinking clearly and I was scared and then I saw JJ kissing a girl goodbye and I just kind of went mental.”

“You saw JJ doing what?” Megan asked, head snapping up to look at her friend and then her boyfriend.

“Kissing a girl in a cab.”

“When?”

“Right before I left.  Blonde girl.  She was wearing a sweatshirt.  I don’t know.  They’d been together all night.  I just assumed she was his date.”

“Haley, she wasn’t his date,” Megan sighed, looking at Ben for some help.

“But I saw...they...he put her in a cab and kissed her.”

“Whatever you think you saw has an explanation,” Ben said, not wanting to overstep but also wanting to defend his friend.

“You should talk to him, Haley.  I really think it was just a misunderstanding,” Megan said, tone pleading.  “Okay but can it wait until the morning?  Right now I'm tired and shaken up and I just need to go…” she began, her voice halting as JJ came down the stairs.

“Hey guys,” he greeted, spotting Haley on the couch and smiling in relief.

“Hey, J. You alright?” Ben asked.

“Yeah, splashed some water on my face and I'm good.”

“Great! Now that we've settled that Ben and I are going down to check on the fire so we’ll see you guys later,” Megan said in a rush, winking at Haley.

“That's o...kay,” Haley said as Megan practically dragged Ben out of the house.

“They're not very subtle, are they?” JJ asked with a nervous smile, running a hand through his dark hair.

“No. Not at all,” Haley laughed.

 “Do you—” they began at the same time.

“You go,” JJ said.

“I was just going to ask if you wanted to take a walk.  With me.  Take a walk with me.  You don’t have to and I get it if you’re tired or whatever but I thought you might and—“

“Yeah, a walk sounds good,” he said, grinning at her.

“Yeah?”

“Yes, silly.  I’ve been looking for you all night.”

“Oh.  I was...well...I was kind of looking for you too,” she said, blushing just enough for him to see her cheeks flush pink.

“Well here I am.”

* * *

 

“So,” he began once they were on the beach, heading away from the fire, “Did you have fun tonight at the bonfire?”

Haley gave a small laugh, “No.  Not really.”

“Why?  What’s going on?  Is this about the kiss?  Because if it is, I can explain that…”

“It’s not about the kiss,” she said, noting his sudden deflated look, “Well, it is a little.  But it’s more about tonight than anything, really.”

“Care to elaborate?”

“I kissed you because I thought maybe you liked me or were at least a little interested and when you didn’t respond, I sort of freaked out and ran away because I was embarrassed and I was going to talk to you tonight but then you were with that girl and I saw you put her in the cab and kiss her goodnight and realized you probably didn’t kiss me because you already had a girlfriend or a girl you were seeing at least and I’m so, so, SO sorry for totally misreading the situation and putting you into an awkward position like that,” she said, words spilling out of her mouth in a jumbled rush.

JJ groaned and ran a hand through his hair, “No, no, that wasn’t it at all.”

“It wasn’t?”

“No.  That girl was a friend of Bobby’s.  I only met her for the first time today and she invited herself to the party as my date.  You might have missed this but I’m not great with girls…women...females...oh my God I’m a bumbling idiot, I’m not great with talking to girls.  So she showed up and then Bobby ditched her.  She drank too much and started getting into it with the DJ and some guys she didn’t know, so I called a cab for her and had her driven home.”

“But I saw you—”

JJ gave a look of recognition, “Oh, no, you saw her kiss me while I was leaning over talking to the cabbie?  I definitely did not want that to happen.”

Haley stopped walking for a moment, “You didn’t?” she asked softly.

JJ stopped with her, smiling.  “Oh God no, obnoxious drunk girls don’t exactly do it for me and I’m definitely not interested in her.”

“Oh.”

JJ shrugged sheepishly, “I may have gotten into it with Bobby for being an asshole and by the time I’d cooled off a little, someone said they thought they’d seen you leaving,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck with a shy look.

They fell quiet, the waves gently lapping at the shore the only sound for a moment as they both gathered their thoughts.

“Haley, you—” he started as she said his name.

“You first this time,” she said.

“I just wanted to say that you’re really cool and I had a lot of fun talking and hanging out with you yesterday.  I’m sorry about Bobby and Cheryl and the whole mess.  I really wanted to hang with you some more tonight.”

“It’s okay,” she said with a shrug.

“But?”

“What do you mean ‘but?’”

“But you had something else you were going to say.”

“How did you know?”

“My Mom and my sister do the same thing,” he said with a small smile, “Say something without finishing their whole thought.  It drives my Dad nuts.”

“I don’t want to upset you but Bobby might have been an even bigger dick to me tonight then he was yesterday.”

JJ stopped short in his tracks, “Why?  Did he say something to you?”

“Sort of.  I just—” she sighed deeply, “I was talking to Tag and Ben by the drink table, Megan said something about Bobby’s date being drunk and wondering if we’d seen him.  I sort of got the sense that Ben and Tag deal with this sort of thing a lot because we all took off looking for him.  Anyway, I found him and he was...well, let’s just say he was occupied or maybe newly unoccupied.  I saw a girl walking away from him and he was pulling up his pants and redoing his belt when I got close enough to talk to him,” she said, shuddering at the memory.

“You all right?” JJ asked, his face showing his concern at seeing her shiver.

“Yeah, fine.  Just a chill.”

“Here,” he said, pulling his MIT sweatshirt over his head and handed it to her, “Take this.”

She smiled, sliding the warm shirt on and then rolling the sleeves back a bit so her hands poked out of the two sizes too large sweatshirt.

“Thanks,” she said quietly.

“You're welcome.”

“JJ?”

“Hmm?”

“That's...that's not all about Bobby.”

His jaw clenched, brows forming a frown.

“What else happened?” he asked quietly.

“He...well, I told him that people were looking for him and he sort of grabbed me and told me I should stay and have fun with him and it was clear what he was implying but I couldn't get out of his grip and I only got away because I told him if he could catch me, then I'd give him whatever he wanted.”

JJ’s fists clenched and relaxed at his side, giving Haley a tight smile.

“But he didn't hurt you, did he?” he asked finally.

“No.  Well, at least not in the way I think you're thinking.  He did grab my arm pretty hard and it's a little sore but other than that, no.”

“Is that why you left?”

She nodded, pulling the sleeves of the shirt down to cover her fingers. “Mostly, yes.  I was terrified and just wanted to get out of there after I saw you and the girl and the cab.”

JJ looked her in the eyes, his expression serious, “If he bothers you again, you'll tell me or Ben, right?”

“Yes.  Definitely yes.”

JJ sighed and gave her a small nod before they started walking again.

* * *

 

JJ’s POV

 

JJ relaxed a little as they walked along the beach watching the waves roll in as they discussed their college classes and some family life.

He bit back the shiver from the chilly beach breeze and looked down at Haley, noticing how she would brush back the hair blowing in her face, a look of annoyance crossing her face as she blew a strand away from her mouth.

He stared at her full lips for a moment before stopping and grabbing her arm gently.

“Wanna head back to the porch?”

“Do you mind?  The wind is picking up and I’m kinda of cold.  I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, let’s go back and talk.”  The tide was coming in and he yelped as a surprise flush of water hit his feet.  “Jeeze that’s cold!”

Haley screeched and ran up the beach a little way, giggling.  JJ was following her when something caught his eye on the sand and he hurried over to it, squatting in the sand.  His eyes widened and he let out a quick laugh at his find.

“Holy shit!  Haley come here!”

He heard her footsteps approach and he motioned for her as he picked up what he was looking at.

“Oh this is awesome!  Know what this is?”

He looked up at her and smiled as she shook her head in confusion.

“No, it looks like a little bag.  Is it trash?”  She asked.

“No!  It’s a mermaid’s purse!  I’ve always wanted to see one!”

“A what? Is that some kind of shell?”

“No, it’s a shark egg case.”  He held up the empty egg case and moved it around studying it.  “Some sharks lay eggs that have various shapes to help them stay put.  This one has little tendrils that wrap around seaweed.”

“Is there a baby in there?”  JJ looked up at Haley who looked concerned.

“No, it’s empty.  The pup hatched and the case washed ashore.  But how cool is this!”

He studied the case some more and then looked at Haley who was giving him an indulgent smile.

He looked down at the case and then back at her, his face growing warm, “I’m boring you, huh.  I’m kind of a dork for this stuff.”  He shrugged and smiled sheepishly.

Haley put her hand on his knee and grinned.  “Not at all, it’s very cool.  I never see stuff like this at the beach.”

JJ looked at the case in his hand and then back up to Haley.  He held it out to her.

“Here, you take it.”

“But… no I couldn’t.  You were so excited to find it.”

“Well I want you to have it.  Kind of an apology for the crappy evening and because you seemed to like my little sea lesson.”

They both laughed and Haley took the case, thanking him.  He noticed how gingerly she held it as she looked at it and he felt a sudden warmth flow though him.  Her hair was blowing along her face and her eyes were wide with a faint smile.  Most girls would have rolled their eyes at him, but she listened and didn’t seem bored or annoyed by his company.

Before he knew what he was doing, he leaned forward and he lifted her chin with his fingers.  Their eyes met and he was kissing her.  He relaxed into the kiss as he heard her give a soft sigh, her lips brushing along his.  The kiss intensified and he grabbed the back of her head softly, holding her close as his mouth explored hers gently yet firmly.

They backed apart and JJ rested his forehead on hers, swallowing hard.

“That’s how I should have kissed you back at the house,” he said softly with a smile.

“Wow…”  Haley murmured.

He chuckled and leaned down to kiss her quickly once more, before running his thumb along her lower lip delicately.

“We should get back to the house, you’re going to freeze,” he said quietly.

“Okay,” she nodded, the touch of her hands on his knees felt like electricity as she steadied herself against him.

He stood and brushed sand off of his legs before reaching out to help her up.  He didn’t let go of her hand when she stood.

They walked back up to the porch hand in hand and he let go heading to the door.

“Oh, are we calling it a night?”  Her question had a disappointed tone to it.

“Nah, I was going to grab some blankets.  Unless you want to go inside,” he offered.

“Oh, no!  Out here is good,” she nodded quickly.

JJ nodded and opened the door, “Be right back.”

A few moments later he came back out with a few blankets.  He handed one to Haley and then wrapped the other around himself sitting next to her.

“Sure you don’t want your shell back?”  He looked down in surprise at Haley’s question as she fingered the egg case in her hand.

“Haley, it’s yours.”  He nudged her playfully and looked down at her.  “And I thought I was shy sometimes.”

He was met with a small sassy smile, “You should talk.”

“Hey, I’m the one who came over to say hi to you while you read, what was it again, “Frat Boys in the Sand?”

Haley laughed, “Okay, okay.  Well thank you.”

JJ looked out at the ocean and then back at her.

“So are you really okay, with the thing with Bobby earlier.  I didn’t know he would pull something like that with a girl.  I know he’s an ass but he’s gotten really weird lately.

“I’m okay, just a little shaken up.”

JJ stood for a moment and removed his blanket, draping it over both of them, his arm resting around her.

“That okay?”  he asked expectantly.

“Yeah, thanks.”

“Listen though, if he comes back and bothers you, Meg or anyone, tell me right away.  Please.”

“I will.”

“Good.”

* * *

 

They sat and talked for what seemed like hours, telling bad jokes and silly stories.

“So do you do any sports?”  Haley asked him.

“Yeah I play lacrosse for the college.  I’m team captain.  I also help coach a junior lacrosse league for younger kids.”

“Of course you do,” Haley chuckled looking up at him.

JJ feigned offense and looked down at her with a grin.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You get straight A’s at MIT top of your class, you’re the captain of the team, you work with little kids.  What else do you do, Superman.”

“That’s it I guess.  I’m pretty average,” he said with a shrug.

Haley turned and looked up at him, he noticed her looking from his eyes to his lips and he licked his own before moving his head down to meet hers.

He felt her tongue trace along his lower lip before she moved her lips along him harder, more urgently.  He shifted in his seat to face her better and ran a hand along her waist pulling her toward him.  His eyes were closed and he relished the feel of her hand on his cheek and the smell of her shampoo and perfume as she leaned against him.

She backed away and smiled at him, her eyes dark.  Her thumb ran along his cheek and he secretly wished he had shaved before the party.

“You are not average,” she said, moving to him again.  He held her waist and sat up, pushing her back along the couch, feeling her hands run up his arms to his back.  He balanced his weight above her and felt a leg come up along his hip.

He’d made out with other girls before, kissing and touching, but this was different.  The way Haley touched him wasn’t greedy or demanding.  She ran her fingers along him like she was trying to remember him.  That alone almost turned him on more than their kisses.

He felt himself stirring and pulled back a little, hoping she didn’t notice.  She’d been shaken by the scare with Bobby and didn’t want to scare her thinking he wanted more.

She didn’t seem to notice his body shift away slightly and he returned to losing himself in her, taking note of the taste of her lips and sounds she made.

After a few hours of talking quietly and getting cozy on the couch, he sat up and smiled down at her.

“Sun’s coming up,” he said nodding at the horizon.

“Oh my God, we’ve been out here all night??”

“Yeah.  I’m not complaining,” he said, sitting up and putting his feet on the ottoman in front of him.

He held out an arm and Haley snuggled in next to him.

“Thanks for going for a walk with me.”

“Thanks for making out with me ‘til the sun came up,” JJ teased.

“Ha ha, my pleasure.”  Haley put her head on his arm as she let out a yawn.

They passed out on the couch listening to the waves.  They never saw Megan come out later and take a picture of them with a pleased look on her face.

* * *

 

A few hours later, JJ was sitting at the kitchen table finishing some cereal when Ben came in the back door with some grocery bags.

“Hey look who’s up finally.  Long night?”  He grinned mischievously at JJ who had walked over to put his bowl in the dishwasher.

“You could say that,” he said, smiling to himself.

“Uh oh.”

“No uh oh.  We just walked on the beach and talked.”

“Yeah,” Ben scoffed, “anything else?”

“Mind your own business,” JJ said cheerfully, starting to walk out of the kitchen.

“I knew it!”

JJ rolled his eyes and headed upstairs to his room to change for the beach. On his way down the hall the door to the bathroom opened and Haley emerged and almost ran into him, a towel wrapped around her, arms and shoulders beaded with droplets of water, her hair wet and wavy.  He stared at her for a moment before speaking.

“Oh!  Sorry.”  He made room for her to walk by.  “We seem to like to meet here.”

“Yeah,” she said with a giggle, “Maybe you can be the one in the towel next time.”

He laughed, shaking his head at her.  Haley clutched the towel tighter and started to walk away.

“Uh Haley?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you want to… I mean would you like to go out tonight or something?”

Haley stared at him for a minute, eyes wide before a slow grin formed.

“Like a date?  Because last night was kind of—”

“I know.  I thought we could grab something to eat and then see the cove or something.”

He couldn’t help staring at Haley’s towel.  Part of him wished it would come loose, but another part kept shouting at him to avert his eyes and be polite.

“Okay.”  She said with a nod.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.  Seeing as how the company last night was pretty nice.”

JJ grinned at her teasing.  He felt his cheeks turn red and caught Haley smiling at him.

“So if I was a terrible kisser, you’d have said no?”

He took a step closer and stopped as she let out a little laugh.

“Maybe.  Maybe I’m in it for that big comfy sweatshirt of yours,” she said with a playful smirk.

“Oh I see how it is.”  He chuckled and watched her walk to her room.  “See you at the beach in a bit?”

“Yup!”  Haley’s door closed and JJ let out a nervous sigh of relief.  He turned to go to his room and saw Meg coming up the stairs.

She shook her head at him with a grin and he rolled his eyes as she playfully elbowed him, heading to her room.

“She’s good for you,” he heard her say to him as she shut her door.

* * *

 

Haley’s POV

 

They’d come inside sometime after seven that morning, both slightly bleary eyed and bed headed with grins plastered across their faces.  They’d shared a sweet, brief kiss at her bedroom door and Haley had collapsed onto her bed, promptly falling asleep with JJ’s sweatshirt still engulfing her petite frame, the mermaid’s purse safely on her nightstand.

When she woke up, the house had been eerily quiet and a quick glance at her phone showed it was already after eleven.  Groaning she rolled to her side.  Megan would have all kinds of questions now.  Flipping onto her back she stared up at the ceiling, reliving the moments they’d shared on the beach and then later on the porch.  The sweatshirt she wore still smelled like him and her lips could still feel the gentle press of his.

Closing her eyes, she recalled in vivid detail the way his hand felt like it had burned the skin at her hip where he’d held her close and how careful he’d been to position himself so his weight didn’t crush her.  If she was very still she could almost hear the faintly rhythmic thrumming of his heartbeat from where her head had rested on his chest when they’d fallen asleep and she knew the reason she hadn’t nearly frozen to death on the porch was because of his bulky warm frame.

Her phone pinged, alerting her to a new text and she laughed at Megan who’d wondered if she’d be joining them at all today or if she planned to sleep off her “JJ hangover.”  She replied back that she was awake, going to take a quick shower and that she’d meet them at the beach.  She put her phone down and began to gather her toiletries.

After running into JJ in the hallway briefly, Haley had changed into her bathing suit, tossing her sunscreen and favorite Red Sox ball cap into the little beach tote she’d bought the other day at Perkins Cove.  Grabbing a towel from the closet she took the stairs two at a time, finding her friends easily underneath the gigantic neon green umbrella they’d used the last few days.

“Hey, lover girl,” Megan greeted as Haley plopped her bag onto the nearest towel and rolled her eyes.

“What do you want to know, Megan?” she asked her friend.

“Nottthhiinggg.”

“Oh good.  May I have a banana please?”

Megan handed her a banana but couldn’t resist the opportunity to make a joke, “How does it compare against JJ’s banana?” she asked, putting air quotes around the word banana.

Choking on the piece of fruit in her mouth she gave Megan a pointed look, “I wouldn’t know. It wasn’t like that.”

“Well then tell me what it WAS like.”

“It was…” she began, conflicted between wanting to tell her friend everything and nothing at all.

“It was good. A lot of fun, actually.  He cleared up what had happened with Cheryl.  I told him about Bobby.  We took a walk on the beach until it got too cold and then we just hung out on the porch talking.  The next thing we knew the sun was rising and I guess we must have fallen asleep out there for a little bit.”

“So you talked and that was it?”

Haley blushed, “And kissed a little.  Nothing more than that.  He was sweet, is sweet.  He asked me on a date tonight.”

Megan was bouncing on her heels, giddy with excitement at this news and she let out a jubilant shriek when Haley told her about the date.

“See? I told you he was interested!  God, am I good or am I good?”

Haley chuckled at the redhead who was now humming “Matchmaker” from Fiddler on the Roof under her breath.

“Quit it,” Haley said, chucking her hat at Megan who caught it easily and placed it on her head.

“Ooooh, Haley. Here comes your dreamboat.”

Haley shook her head in mock consternation though she prayed silently that JJ hadn’t heard.

He and Ben were walking towards them, fresh out of the water and she couldn’t tear her eyes away from him.  His tanned body glistened with droplets of water and his broad shoulders and muscular chest gave way to a toned stomach, slender hips, and powerful legs.  He towered above her even when she was standing but when she sat, it was like looking up at a tall tree.

“Hey, babe,” Ben greeted, giving Megan a quick kiss, “Haley, thanks for joining us this morning.”

“You are very welcome for the gift of my presence. The beds in the house are very comfortable.”

“How about the couches?” Ben retorted and JJ elbowed him in the stomach, “What? I was just asking.”

“Hi,” JJ greeted, coming to sit beside her.

“Hi yourself. I see Neptune didn’t grab you under,” she teased.

“No mermaids with me today,” he said, gifting her with one of his heart stopping smiles.

“Ah, well, I think we can change that.”

“Yeah?”

“Yep. But first I wanna see what you got, Brady,” she said, tossing the nearby football to him.

“Is that a challenge?”

“Maybe,” she said, standing up and shrugging down at him, “Are you in?”

“Oh I’m always up for a challenge,” he said, winking at her.

It didn’t take long for JJ to figure out why she had been state champ in swimming.  She was fiercely focused, extremely athletic, and possibly even more competitive than him.  He’d had to bring out his A-game to even beat her and Megan by two points and while he and Ben sucked wind, she and Megan had calmly drank bottles of water.

“Holy shit, Haley.  Where’d you learn to throw like that?” Ben wheezed.

She shrugged, “My Dad and brothers.”  She left out the part about the time they’d all gotten to play at Gillette with Tom Brady and other players from the Patriots.

Ben caught JJ glancing at her admiringly and poked his buddy in the side, “Girl almost kicked your ass in football, Jay.  She’s a keeper.”

The rest of the afternoon proceeded in much the same manner; sassy comments, coy flirtation, and touching whenever they were able.  In the water they’d stood beside one another, hips bumping as the ocean rocked them, JJ steadying her on her feet with a hand at the small of her back when a particularly large swell hit them.  She’d plucked a piece of seaweed from his arm and he’d followed later by taking one out of her hair, his free hand lingering on her shoulder for just a second longer than necessary.  Their hands had brushed together beneath the water at one point and before JJ could even respond, Haley had squeezed his fingers and brought her hand back up to wipe some water from her face.  They laid side by side on their towels, chatting about their summer plans quietly for a while before Haley’s eyes began to droop and flutter shut.

“Am I boring you?” he’d teased, coming up on his arm to look down at her.

“No, no.  Some guy kept me up nearly all night. I’m just tired and I have another date in a little while.”

“Same guy?”

“I’m not totally sure.  I’m still trying to figure him out,” she said.

Blushing, JJ hung his head a bit, “But so far you like what you do know?”

“I do.  I like him a lot,” she said, leaning back slightly to make eye contact with him.

“Good.  Right.  That’s good then,” he said, lying back on his towel.

A minute later her fingers locked with his and he grinned before passing out.

* * *

 

Standing in front of the mirror on the back of the door Haley turned from side to side, checking to make sure the sundress she had picked hung properly. She loved this dress, took it with her anytime she went to the beach just in case she needed it for a night out. Usually she wound up wearing it mini golfing with her siblings in Chatham but now, for the first time, it was getting used for its intended purpose.  Her phone rang and she raised an eyebrow at Megan’s name flashing on the screen.

“Meg?”

“Haley. Oh my God, I am SO sorry.”

“About what? And where are you?”

“Next door.”

“Why are you calling me from your room?”

“Because I’m about to murder Ben.”

“Ohhhkay, do I want to know why?”

“He invited us; him and me, to go with you and JJ on your date!  They were talking about plans for tonight, JJ said he wanted to go check out the Lobster Shack in the cove and Ben suggested we all go.  I swear he is dense sometimes!”

Haley chuckled, “Meg, it’s fine. You guys are our friends.  It’ll be fun.”

“But it’s supposed to be your first date,” Megan whined.

“It’s fine. We’ll have fun no matter what!”

Sighing deeply Megan relented, promising that she’d get Ben to agree to leaving right after dinner so they could have some time alone.

**

Megan had raved about the Lobster Shack almost the entire year so Haley was excited to finally have a chance to enjoy the “incredible” food she’d heard about endlessly.  Making the experience even more memorable was the presence of the young man beside her, his arm draped casually over the back of her chair as they looked over the menu, chatted about different options, and finally placed their orders. Ben and a laughing JJ told a story about the time they’d built a snow fort when they were nine, Ben rushing in head first to just tunnel beneath the snow drifts while an ever analytical JJ spent time building perfectly shaped snow bricks.

“The worst part is he was right.  Those stupid bricks fit together like a glove and that damn fort lasted nearly until April,” Ben said.

“And that is why Ben did not go into architecture,” JJ teased as the girls laughed.

Talk while they ate centered on summer jobs, Haley’s at the pool club, JJ’s youth lacrosse program and his part-time gig in the computer lab, Ben’s landscaping job, and Megan’s counselor position at the church camp.

“She’s part of the God Squad,” Ben joked, laughing at Megan as she rolled her eyes.

“Listen, it makes my Dad happy, it’s not back breaking labor, and I get paid to hang out with some pretty cool kids so yeah, I’ll take that over mulching flower beds and mowing lawns any day.”

When the bill came, both JJ and Ben reached for it and a quick look was exchanged.  Haley held out the cash for her portion of the bill and tip but was waved away by JJ who quickly stuck a bill into the small black folder before sliding it over to Ben who did the same.

“Alright guys, Meg’s mom asked us to stop in at the grocery store down the street to see if they got her catering order for their big summer beach bash so we’ll see you back at the house later?” Ben asked.

“Sure. I think we’re just going to walk around town a little bit,” JJ said, looking at Haley to make sure it was okay.

Saying goodnight to their friends at the door of the restaurant, JJ and Haley made it three quarters of the way down the street before she stopped him with a light touch to the arm.

“See a store you want to go into already?” he asked, a smile lighting up his face.

“No, I see something better,” she said, leaning up on her tip toes to brush her mouth over his, the faintest press of her lips against his.  “I’ve wanted to do that all day,” she said finally, pulling away slowly.

“Me too,” he said the second before he covered her mouth with his own again.

They’d walked along the street filled with storefronts and Haley had dragged him into a used bookshop, trolling the aisles for a replacement copy of Northanger Abbey which was what she had been reading when her bag was destroyed.

“I know it’s not my fault but I still feel bad.  I’d like to get my mom another copy just so she has the full set of books. Even if it doesn’t have the signature in it,” she’d said, shrugging.

“If you tell me what to look for, I’ll see if I can find one, he’d replied, a soft smile on his face.

Even though the search was unsuccessful, Haley couldn’t help but be impressed with the calmly attentive way he’d searched through rows of books as if they had all the time in the world.  When his eyes lit up at the sight of the big ferris wheel like her Dad’s did every Christmas morning for as long as she could remember she took his hand in hers, tugging on it gently to get his attention.

‘‘Wanna go to the carnival?” she asked.

“Will you think I’m a giant dork if I say yes?”

“I already know you’re a giant dork and hang out with you anyway,” she teased, bumping him with her hip.

“You cut me to the quick,” he replied, clutching his heart in mock agony.

“Come on, I wanna ride the ferris wheel,” she said, bouncing on the balls of her toes beside him.

“Well you don’t need to ask me twice!”

They rode the ferris wheel three times before JJ suggested the bumper cars.  Then Haley talked him into doing the simulated bungee jump which left them both giggling like ten year olds, breathless and sweaty from the five minutes they’d spent bouncing.

They meandered slowly through the little vendor stands and booths, sampling blueberry flavored kettle corn and sharing a classic carnival style lemonade that tasted more like ice and sugar than anything.

Reaching the row of carnival games, JJ sized up each possible option before settling on the can toss which advertised three tries for the exorbitant carnival price of five dollars.  Still, he figured with his height and athleticism he could easily manage to knock down all three cans.

Paying the man working the booth, he gave one of the balls a few light tosses to see how it felt in his hand before throwing a pitch that just barely grazed the outside corner of the bottom cans.  The second pitch hit the bottom two cans and the top one shifted a fraction of an inch.  Taking a deep breath he hurled the third ball, knocking the center can straight off.

“Good try!” Haley cheered from beside him but JJ was nothing if not persistent.

“Another round,” he said to the guy behind the desk who smirked knowingly before handing JJ another three balls.

By the second pitch he’d managed to knock over two out of the three cans and his mind began to mentally calculate what he’d need to do in the third pitch to get all three over, equations for speed and velocity floated through his head as Haley tapped his shoulder.

“Would it be okay if I tried?” she asked.

“Oh. Yeah sure.  Sorry.  I didn’t think…here, go ahead,” he said, handing her the ball, “I think if you can just figure out the angle that gives you the fastest speed that should help.  By my calculations coming at it from this angle—” he began as Haley whipped the ball at the cans, knocking all three over easily as a bell behind the counter rang loudly.

“We have a winner, folks! Step right up here Miss and claim your prize,” the man instructed, beckoning his hand to the wall of stuffed animals and plastic blow up toys on the wall behind him.

Haley paused, considering her options before pointing to something.  She shot a quick smile over her shoulder to JJ who was standing behind her looking slightly puzzled and when she’d claimed her prize, turned back to him with a little skip hop and a radiant look on her face.

“Here you go,” she said cheerfully, handing him the stuffed lion she’d just won with ease, “Isn’t he cute?”

“He?” he asked, unable to suppress his own smile at her excitement.

“Yeah, Lucky the lion.  He’s adorable,” she said, pressing a kiss to the animal’s furry nose.

JJ took her in his arms, the toy now trapped between them.

“You’re adorable,” he said softly, kissing her with a slow surety that stole Haley’s breath away and left her clinging to the front of his shirt when he finally pulled away.

“It really IS a lucky lion,” he teased and she blushed, before he tilted her chin up a second time and kissed her again.

* * *

 

They stood in line for the carousel, Haley’s suggestion, eating a funnel cake and laughing at the antics of some of the people who passed by them on their way to other parts of the carnival.  She explained to him how she’d won the can game.

“It’s rigged.  They put one or two weighted cans on the bottom, give you a softball to throw at it and know the likelihood of someone winning is slim.  So you have to look for the can that’s sort of an inch or so towards the front and aim hard for that one.  If you can get that one you can usually get the rest.”

“Where the heck did you learn that?”

“Ohhh, something Mr. Smartypants doesn’t know??  I’ve impressed myself!”

“Ha ha,” he said, tickling her side.

“No, I think my uncle told me and my siblings that when we were kids.”

“You’re really close to your family, huh?”

“Very. They’re loud and crazy and annoying but they’re awesome and fun and home.”

“That’s awesome.  I don’t have a huge extended family but my parents are terrific and I have a cool kid sister, my aunt and cousins are tons of fun, and my Grams is pretty much the funniest person alive,” he said.

They continued to chat and eat and when it was finally their turn, Haley squealed in delight that the line had stopped right at them which meant she had her pick of any horse she wanted.

“My favorite is the all-white one with the flowers in her hair and the pink saddle,” she said, her big blue eyes twinkling.

Sitting beside her on the slightly less exciting brown horse with a black mane, JJ was unable to keep his eyes off of her as she bobbed up and down on the horse, her eyes darting around the crowd gathered around the ride, watching her wave to the same kid with each pass.  As they rotated around another time, JJ leaned over bracing one hand on the back of her horse as his other held tight to the pole of his own.

“Haley,” he said and she turned to him with questioning eyes, “You’re beautiful.”

The kiss that followed was sweet and all too brief, forced apart by the ride coming to a slow stop.  When he helped her down from the horse, he let his hands stay on her waist all the way around the ride’s platform until they exited back out into the crowds.

He held her hand the entire walk back to the center of town and from the Cove back to Megan’s. His grip was firm, soothing, protective and gentle all at the same time and when he began to rub small circles on the space of skin between her thumb and pointer finger, she shut her eyes and leaned against his shoulder.

The house was dark and quiet when they got back and since Ben’s car wasn’t parked in the space it had occupied the last few days, it was clear no one else was home.

“Movie?” he asked when they got inside.

“Yes.  I’m just going to go change into something comfy, okay?”

“Good plan. I think I’ll join you...take you up on that...Jesus, I’ll change too,” he said nervously as Haley tried her hardest not to smile or laugh.  She made him nervous, all six foot plus of this broad shouldered, handsome, intelligent guy got tongue tied around tiny, not a future brain surgeon, simple her.

In high school it had been hard to figure out if guys were interested in her or were into her because of who her dad was but this, this was something entirely different. He’d asked questions about her, he’d shown an interest in things she was interested in, he’d let her convince him to try the bungee jump and hadn’t laughed when she’d suggested the carousel because it was always her favorite. The thing she’d been happiest about was that when she’d won the lion for him, he hadn’t made her feel badly for knowing how to win nor had he insisted she keep it because she’d won it.

“Haley? Where’d you go?”

“Oh, sorry. My mind sort of spaced there for a minute.  Changing.  We’re going to go change.  Meet back here in like ten minutes?”

JJ glanced up at the clock on the wall and nodded.

“See you then.”

Haley changed quickly, considering whether or not she should put his sweatshirt back on or give it back to him.  He hadn’t asked for it and she was still a little chilly from being out in the early June night.  Shrugging, she slipped it on over her head, rolling up the sleeves, giving a little laugh at how tiny she really looked when engulfed by his massive sweatshirt.

Pulling the door back she found a sheepish looking JJ standing there, his hand raised to knock.  Instead he swallowed hard, “Wow,” he breathed at the sight of her.  Then like magnets that had been flipped to connect, she was stepping towards him and he was pulling her to him.  the door was banging against the wall as they kissed, swinging back to bump JJ’s back, causing him to step forward into her room.

“Shut the door,” she whispered against his mouth, a note of urgent demand escaping her own lips.

Without releasing his hold on her entirely, he grappled for the handle, tugging it shut and began walking her back towards the bed, kissing her every step of the way.

She fell back onto the bed, reaching her arms out to him as she did and he wasted no time in heeding her silent call. Crawling up beside her, she turned to face him as he leaned down to capture her mouth in another searing kiss. His hands cradled her face tenderly and after dragging his mouth away he placed gentle kisses on her forehead, eyes, and nose before his lips sought hers again.

Haley hardly recognized the sounds coming out of her mouth, the soft sighs, the urgent whimpers as he rolled her onto her back, propping himself above her as he whispered sweet nothings in her ear before nipping at her earlobe, making her groan and squirm in delight.

“You like that?” he asked, repeating the action again on her other ear and basking in the sound of her breathy whimper as she nodded her head.

Her hands were firm on his waist, holding on to him as if she might float away unless otherwise tethered down.

“JJ,” she said, wiggling beneath him a tiny bit as his kisses moved down her jaw.

“Hmm?” he asked, his scruffy face tickling her chin just the tiniest bit.

“I need to take your sweatshirt off. It’s a little hot in here now,” she said, smiling up at him bashfully.

“Oh, Jesus.  Oh right, yeah, I’m sorry,” he said, pushing up so she could take the offending garment off.

“Now,” she said, “where were we?”  Taking the lead, she pushed him back onto the mattress and he smirked up at her.

“You know I’m letting you win here, right?”

“Yeah, but I’ll make it worth your while,” she teased, covering his lips with her own.

She traced his full lower lip with her tongue before sucking it into her mouth eliciting the sweetest moan from him.

Smiling she bent forward, hair falling over her face before he reached up to tuck it behind her ear, their eyes meeting, hers wide and doe eyed, his dark with desire. Giving him a lascivious wink, she kissed him for half a second before sucking a love mark onto his neck. His hands rose to her back, the heat of her skin burning under his palms and he let himself rub small circles while she licked and nipped at his collarbone.  She listened for his moans of pleasure, listened for the catch in his breath when she found a favorite spot, listened for the deep growl in his chest that vibrated straight through her body, leaving her tingling and desperate.

“JJ,” she whimpered.

“Tell me what you need.”

“You.  I need you to touch me,” she said, face flushing pink with her own forwardness.

“Gladly,” he said, flipping them easily so she was beneath him once more.

He took his time, kissing her until her lips were swollen and her face tingled from where he’d rubbed his five o’clock shadow across the sensitive skin of her face. He left one hand tangled in her long hair, stroking through the wavy strands that felt like silk as they glided through his fingertips. His other hand, the hand that had begun on her hip began to move slowly, slowly up her side while his mouth took up residence at the base of her neck, a spot that made her purr like a sated cat. He kept up his ministrations as he allowed his thumb to graze over the side of her breast before dragging it up to her shoulder.  She had the softest skin and she smelled like sunshine and clean laundry. It was intoxicating. She'd gasped just the tiniest bit when his hand had passed over the outside swell of her breast and the way her back arched off the bed, seeking out more of his touch told him everything he needed to know.

His hand in her hair moved to her hip, tracing the same slow ascent the other had taken a few minutes earlier, grazing her breast again. She let out a small whimper into his mouth and one of her legs came up by his side as her hips canted upwards, rubbing right over his straining fly. Haley used his momentary distraction to roll him over, sitting astride his lap.

“More room,” she said as he sat up, silencing her with his mouth.

“For this?” he asked as one of his big palms cupped her breast and his thumb swirled over the peak, already straining against her shirt.

“Mmm, yes,” she sighed, her head falling into the crook of his neck.

His hand continued its assault of her flesh, kneading gently and he released her hip, bringing his other hand up to join its partner.

“Oh my God, yes…” she groaned as he gave her nipple a tweak.

She'd been grinding down on him in small circles and he could feel his control slipping.  He wanted to move back, desperately wanted to grab her hips and push himself against her.  Instead he halted her movements, grabbing her and lifting her from his lap, repositioning them so they were on their sides facing each other.

“Did I…?” she began but he stopped her with a kiss.

“I won't be able to stop if you keep doing that, and I really don't want to stop kissing you,” he said, running a hand over her arm.

“I don't want you to stop kissing me either,” she whispered shyly against his chest.  “Good because I'm not going to,” he said, lifting her chin with his fingers and pressing his mouth over hers.

They made out for a long time, slow seductive kisses followed by shorter kisses that led to open mouthed presses to heated collarbones and necks.  JJ could have lived in the crook of her neck, Haley wanted to set up camp on his lips. His hands wandered over her prone form, feeling the soft skin of her arms before returning his attention to her full breasts. He loved the soft cries that came from her when he touched her. And smiling he'd return to his torment, kissing her until she was pressed nearly flush against him before backing her away and resuming his fondling anew.

For her part, Haley allowed her hands to roam across his back and shoulders, delighting in the way his shirt drew tight across the skin, reveling in the feel of the muscles as they tightened and relaxed under her fingers. His groan echoed loudly in the small room when she slid her palms just beneath the hem of his shirt and touched him skin to skin, her small fingers pressed against his hip bones, searing his flesh with her touch.

They paused briefly for water but even the two minutes apart felt like a lifetime and soon they were back in each other's arms right where they'd left off.

Sometime after midnight they'd heard Ben and Meg return, heard them creep up the stairs quietly and then the soft click of a door shutting.

“I should go,” JJ said, kissing her again for emphasis.

“You really should,” she answered, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him back to her.

“Five more minutes,” he groaned when she began to suckle on his lower lip.

Five turned to fifteen and fifteen to half an hour and the next time they looked at the clock it was almost half past one.

“We need to sleep.  We both have to drive tomorrow,” Haley said, her hands running through his hair soothingly.

“Hmmm?  Yeah.  Driving.  Sleep,” he murmured, almost in a trance.

Haley giggled a little at his blissed out state before leaning over him to kiss him.

“If you’re too tired to drive then I'll feel bad and we won't be able to do this again,” she said.

He sat up then, “You want to do this again?”

She gave him a little smile, “Of course I do.  Don't you?”

“I honestly don't want to stop,” he grinned.

“Well you have to.  I have to drive back to Mass and you have to go back to New Hampshire and we both have work tomorrow—”

He kissed her again, cutting her off.

“Two more minutes,” she warned and he nodded.

Sometime after 3 she woke up in the dark room, JJ’s hand splayed across her stomach, his head still tucked into her arm where she'd been playing with his hair.

“Sleepy head,” she called and he stirred a little, blearily rubbing his eyes.

“Time is it?”

“3:17.  You've gotta go.”

He groaned.  He'd pay for this tomorrow but damn if it wasn't worth every second of exhaustion.

“Okay.  All right I’m going.  Reluctantly,” he added, kissing first her mouth, then her forehead before they rose from the bed.

At the door she leaned up to kiss him again, “Goodnight, JJ.”

“Night, Haley,” he said, brushing some hair off her face gently.  She leaned into his touch for just a second, her eyes shut as if memorizing the moment.

When the door shut behind him, she stood there for a moment, her hand pressed to her cheek before sighing deeply and then with a delighted little shriek, dancing her way back to bed.

* * *

 

Dawn came all too quickly and a bleary eyed Haley was just pouring some hot water for her tea into her travel mug for the drive back home. She had to work at one and she hoped if she left early she’d be behind any traffic and have a chance to take a quick nap. She felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist and a kiss was pressed to her neck.

“Good morning,” he whispered into her ear and she shivered in delight at the touch.

“Why are you awake?” she asked, turning to face him.

He looked like he’d slept two, maybe three hours at most and with his bedhead and sleep glazed blue eyes, he looked adorable.

“Came to say goodbye,” he mumbled, unable to stop himself from kissing her.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she said, though the way her eyes lit up suggested she was thrilled he had.

“Yeah I did. I didn’t want you to think I was the kind of guy who’d....”

“Hit it and quit it?” she suggested with a little laugh.

“Yes, smart ass.”

“You’re the smart ass,” she said, giving his bum a playful squeeze.

“Ha ha, Tiny,” he teased.

“Tiny??”

“Yeah, I didn’t like it either.  I’ll come up with a better nickname for the next time.”

“So there is going to be a next time, then?” she asked, looking up at him with those big beautiful eyes of hers.

“Yes. There is.”

“Good. You want me to put my number in your phone and then you can text me from yours?”

“Yes I do,” he said, handing her his phone and watching her type in her name and number.

“There you go.”

“Do you need to say goodbye to Megan and Ben?”

“Nah.  Meg knew I was leaving early this morning.  I told her not to get up.  I’ll text her when I’m home.”

“Can I walk you to your car at least?”

“Sure. I’d like that.

He helped with her suitcase, carrying it down the steps to the small driveway where her car was parked and hoisting it into the trunk.

“Here’s your sweatshirt,” she said, untying it from around her waist.

“Hold on to it for me, ok?” he said, stilling her hands.

“Ok. You take care of Lucky for me.”

Grinning he nodded his head, “I will. And I’ll call you too.”

“I hope so. Don’t forget to text me your number. I might ignore you otherwise.”

He grinned before bending slightly to give her a parting kiss.

“I really, really hope not,” he said when he’d pulled away from her perfect lips.

“I guess you’ll have to call me to find out,” she winked.

“Get in the car, little one,” he said and she wrinkled her nose, “Too creepy?”

“Definitely.”

He chuckled and smiled at her, “I’ll call you, Haley. Drive safely, ok?”

“I will. You too.”

“Bye,” he said softly, shutting her car door.

She waved through the window, before backing down the gravel drive slowly.  By the time she reached the highway her phone had pinged and she glanced down at it briefly.

_JJ:  555-212-8645, Thanks for a great weekend.  :)_

It really had been a great weekend.


End file.
